Mine Alone
by Ying and Yang twins
Summary: Naruto is...MINE ALONE. It started with the murder of Orochimaru, then Itachi.But slowly the murderer turned their attention to the whole Village of Konoha...and Naruto. SasuNaru onesided HinaNaru Some OOC
1. Snake

Yang-chan: This is my first attempt at a mystery. I'm not really a good mystery writer… I hope you like it.

_**Mine Alone**_

_A Yang Production_

There he was. My foe. Stupid slimy snake. His stupid idiotic smile made me want to retch. I hate him.

" Have you considered my offer? With me, your power could double…even triple in strength. I could help you achieve your dream, isn't that your only reason for living?"

" SHUT UP!" I screamed at him. What the hell does he know about me? How dare he drag my dream in? " You have no right to drag my dream in to this."

" But am I right? That you live for your dream?"

I started to shake with rage. That dead snake! I'll kill him!

" Orochimaru-san…with you I could become stronger."

" Yes."

"…but…I would only be a puppet on a string and you would be the puppeteer." Idiot to come alone. Here no one could find us. Here I could kill him.

" Know what else, Orochimaru-san?"

He cocked his head to a side. " What?"

" I hate snakes."

I reached into my pockets to pull out my kunai. Pathetic snake. He never had a chance to react, my clones had blocked all his exits, I had memorized all his techniques and could counter each and every one. When his clones tried to attack me, I would seek out the real one. When that tongue launched out, I would pull him with it. With my Kunai in hand I would bury it within that slimy thing called a tongue. His screams only added fuel to my fury.

" Orochimaru-san, End this now and let me take you back alive to the village that you dared to leave long ago. Maybe the Hokage will show you mercy."

His body lay slumped on the ground. " Mercy? Me?" He struggled to his feet. " Why would I give up now? Will you show me mercy when you know that I will kill you?" Those eyes of his…staring at you without blinking.

" Then I will drag back your dead carcass to Konoha." I loved the look on his face as four of my earth clones now restrained him. You could only see from the waist above, but they had my original strength.

" You can't kill me!"

" Even cobras have an enemy…a mongoose can kill even the most savage snake when they are hungry. And let me tell you something Orochimaru-san…" I leaned down and brought my lips to his ears, " I am hungry…and this hunger will be satisfied." Never again would Orochimaru-san be a shadow that lingers over my village.

His headprotector lay a few feet away from his body…I must have tossed it aside in my fury. That long slash across the leaf symbol that meant a betrayer.

" You looked better when it was on your forehead…but for a snake like you…" I held his head in one hand and the headprotector in the other. New cloth was laid out and I wrapped his body in it making sure that he held his own head. Once I was finished, I began to drag it towards the Hokage building.

The morning sun was rising and I was behind what I originally had planned. It doesn't matter. The Hokage building was right there…good. There were plenty of guards…this would get spread throughout the land quickly and maybe my plan will be heard. Perfect. Absolutely perfect! I flung the body down and began my escape…

The young Shinobis had arrived that morning to report their missions to the Hokage only to find themselves surrounded by many ANBU.

" Eh? What's going on?" Naruto looked around. " Did something happen?" Then a stench reached his nose…Blood. He raced ahead and squeezed by until he was right in front of the Hokage building. Tsunade stared at the lump of cloth that lay on the steps.

" I'm sorry Hokage, we lost the person in the forest. We couldn't even pick up a Chakra trail." An ANBU reported.

" That's fine. Has anyone opened this?" She pointed to the mass at her feet.

" No, we didn't want to do anything with out your permission."

" Open it."

As they opened the cloth something rolled out. The crowd that had gathered screamed and backed away. Orochimaru's eyes rested on the crowd as something else clattered to the ground. Wrapped around the silver headprotector was a note. Tsunade picked it up…

_To you Hokage,_

_I bring a gift, The Betrayer Orochimaru._

_Those who dare to betray my beloved village _

_Will face my wrath._

Tsunade reached out and grabbed a Kunai meant for Orochimaru's body. Attached was another note and an explosive tag.

_Do not let anything stand in my way…_

The explosive note was destroyed and the medical team took the body away. Tsunade beckoned the young Shinobis into her office. This was something that she hoped would never come…out there someone was strong enough to kill Orochimaru, but can that person really be trusted?

Many hours later everyone whispered in back alleys about the days events and Kakashi walked following Naruto. Unknown to the younger Shinobi, that note that the Hokage caught had more to it…

_I will not allow harm to come to Naruto,_

_The Human Vessel of the Kyuubi. _

_For Naruto is Mine…_

_And…_

_**MINE ALONE**_

Yang-chan: This is just a test…if you like it then please tell me so I may continue. Reviews save lives! Save a life leave a review! (wink)


	2. Weasel

Yang-chan: To those that reviewed…Arigato! (bow)

**Last Chapter:**

_For Naruto is Mine…_

_And…_

_**MINE ALONE**_

_**Mine Alone**_

_A Yang Production_

Call it love…call it Lust…Call it an obsession…call it what ever your heart desires, but for me, I wanted Naruto. I could not get him out of my mind…recalling his face and his smile sent shivers thought out my body. His voice called forth a moan from my lips. His soft touch on my cold skin sent life jolting through me once more. He was my breath of fresh air in this dark living world. He was light in my blindness. And he will be mine! Therefore I could not let anything stand in my path! First I got rid of Orochimaru who dare beckon me to his side. Now…oh now it was Itachi's blood that I hunger for. To see that lovely life giving liquid run freely from his body…the thought gave me pleasure.

To say that tracking him down was hell wasn't giving enough credit. Orochimaru-san was…difficult to say the least. I toiled over mission logs and reports. I studied his past as a proud Shinobi, and I would do and did the same for the Weasel! He liked to stay in the shadows…guess what?

SO DID I.

In a lone cave far out from the Leaf Village I found him. His face showed no emotion…always set like stone. Emotions are for the weak no? Then am I weak to love? No. I love therefore I am strong.

" What business do you have young one?" He asked.

" I've come seeking you." My answer was sharp.

His reply? A small smirk. " Now why?"

" You betrayed Konoha!"

" That I did. So what? That village had nothing for me, always restraining me. I could not grow if I was being smothered. I could not evolve if I had not room to spread."

" And so to spread you killed the clan right?"

" Yes, they merely were a measure of my greatness. And you young one? Have you come here seeking my death?"

My lips curled into a evil smile. " Will you kill me Itachi-san if I reply yes?"

" No…" He sighed staring at the small dying fire before him. " I must kill you anyway."

" Fine…dead snakes can not lie I must say." I caught his interest. With speed I've studied he had me up against the wall, his pale fingers encircling my thin neck.

" What do you know of Orochimaru's death?" His voice was dripping with venom. That voice that I wanted to silence for eternity. His lips spilling out words and sounds that soon would cough up blood and beg for my mercy.

" He's dead…and I must say that he wasn't as lively as you Itachi-san. He did not greet me as you have." In his eyes there was a fire burning with questions and always with the desire to kill.

" You? A young one like you had the power and strength to kill that snake?"

" Yesss." I flicked out my tongue like that snake had done. " I do." His right hand balled up as he brought it back and swung at my stomach. I lurched forward and coughed up some blood. My body fell to the ground again as he walked away.

" Heh." Taking my right hand I wiped the blood off. " How does it feel to know that the only one who truly feared you is gone? How does it feel to know that the one who killed him is right here…talking to you…breathing the same air as you…living in the same world as you?" I could see his shoulders twitch slightly, almost to the point of not being visible.

" Young one," I straightened. " you are an idiot to think I am as weak as that snake. He and I are on different levels."

" I know Itachi-san. That is how you were able to kill off the Clan. Do you really find me that stupid? Has it ever occurred to you that I have studied and developed beyond what I was that dreadful day? I am no mere weakling like yourself, I am stronger now that I have a NEW dream to live for."

" What pray tell might that new dream be?" We stood facing each other, only the crackling of the fire echoed off the walls.

" To protect Naruto from people like you!" I lunged at him blindly I must admit. He swung his arm and I fell to the floor, a pain going down my spine. My eyes adjusted after the blow and his eyes bored into me with those advance Sharingan.

" In your state you can not come to harm me, there is not enough hate in you to do the job."

" There is plenty of hate, Itachi-san." Just step closer and we'll see who has the upper hand.

Step. " For a pathetic worm like you," Step. " I don't need to bloody my hands." Step. Closer moron. Come closer. I struggled to my feet. There was a flashing of gray as he pulled out a handful of Shuriken from inside his cloak. Step.

" May I ask you something?"

He remained silent as he continued to walk ever so slowly towards me. I took that as a yes.

" Why is it that when one falls in love with another, they do the most extreme to protect them?" The ground beneath Itachi cracked and my Earth clones popped up and dragged him down till only his head remained. My hand stretched out in front of me and I closed my hand till I could see the pain on his face.

" Comfortable Itachi?"

" Brat!" He hissed. " Do not anger me!"

" No, do not anger me!" Thin silver rods pierced his eyes, ending his vision of this world and allowing him to see death. " To think you would fall for such a low trick. I had so many plans for you Itachi! I wanted to toy with you…to play and get bored." I plucked the needles from his eyes and fingered the so called Advance Sharingan. " Seems like my new toy is no fun at all…No matter." A chuckle escaped my lips as I pulled his now lifeless eyes off my needles and threw them into the fire. It burned bright green and flared up. The cool rod trailed against my lips as I savored his blood. Grabbing a hand full of his hair, I jerked him up so he could see me…My bad, so he could HEAR me.

" I love to have fun, but you…there's no point in keeping you in this state." I brought his face close to mine. " I wonder how you taste, my dear Itachi." My lips met his and I must say, he was delicious. Yearning for more, I forced his mouth open and explored with my own tongue. Had it not been for lack of air, surely I would have continued. Yet seeing the blood flow from his empty eye sockets paid for all of that. Tossing him aside, I reached for my bag that I had brought along. Inside where an assortment of fun little toys…err tools that I wanted to try out on his body.

" Trying to crawl away, Itachi-san?" Hearing his scuffles did not worry me, without eyes what could hurt me? Not his Clones that he made while my back was turned. Each one was buried in earth as my own dragged them to the pits of hell. Fire was no opponent, as I easily dodged and used **Suiton Suijinheki that I had learned from the scrolls of the 2nd Hokage. Without eyes to analyze the battle, he was dead.**

**" You know I don't like toys that won't amuse me, and do you know what happens to my tossed toys?"**

**" You kill them?" His voice was strangely weak for someone of his power. **

**" Why no, my dear Itachi-san! Heavens why flat out kill them…" My instruments in hand I pinned him to the cave wall. "…when I can peel off their flesh square inch by square inch and listen to them beg for me to kill them?" He bit his bottom lip as I ripped off his cloths like a child would rip off the wrapping of a gift. " Such flawless skin." My hands ran over his chest. " It's such a pity that it must come off." Beginning, I never knew such joy. His every cry, his every plea I ignored, just like he ignored the will of Naruto. Oh, Naruto, the things I do for you!**

**Walking out of the came I washed off in a near by river, and holding my prize in a small bundle under my arm I walked towards the warm sun. It took a while to reach the building, but it was worth while when the ANBU guards began to chase me after I left the bundle at the door step. Idiots! I know this town better than you!**

**_To the Hokage,_**

**_I come bearing a gift!_**

**_The fur of a Weasel,_**

**_Now dead and forgotten!_**

**Tsunade stared at the paper, the 17 words written out in blood. Wanting to avoid a scene like last weeks, she ordered that the mass of cloth be brought to an empty room. By the time it arrived the once white cloth now resembled a mass of crimson. Something dripped from the loose ends, she looked at the Shinobi present and opened it. There came a soft murmur of confusion as they looked. A soft pile of…what? That's what everyone wanted. **

**" Hokage-sama!" A guard cried bursting into the room. " We just got this note! It says to go to the Northern Mountains, there we'll find a trail that will lead us to a cave were we will find an answer to the mass that is inside the cloth!"**

**" Send out your best ANBU team, and report back what ever you find. Kakashi!" Her eyes never left the pile of whatever it was on the table.**

**" Yes, Hokage?"**

**" I want you to lead the team. God knows who this is and what they might do to the team alone!"**

**" Yes! We'll be back with a report in no time at all!" In a puff of smoke 9 people were gone. **

**A few days passed by and they finally reached the Northern Mountains. A ribbon was tied to a tree. **

**" This seems to be the trail." Kakashi pointed to the line of ribbons leading to a cave. Once they reached it, a foul odor caused everyone to stop. **

**" What died?" Someone asked. Kakashi pulled a handkerchief to his nose and walked in to the cave. Coming back out he gave a reply to the question.**

**" Itachi, that's who. Inside…he's pinned to a wall and he's dead. I need you to get him down so we can bring back his body to Hokage." The team did as they were told, and secretly brought Itachi back to the village.**

**_Official Report._**

**_Mission: To retrieve the other half of the mass that was delivered to us on the 23rd of the 4th month. _**

_**Notes: We arrived to the spot stated in the note. Upon arrival of the cave, a smell drifted out and entering, the body of Uchiha Itachi was found. He was pinned at the hands and feet to the cave wall, with nothing on. His skin, it seems had been peeled off, slowly, and it seems that he had been there for several days due to parts of his body missing later found, half eaten by the wild animals. Even more, examining closer, both eyes were torn out of their sockets some time earlier. No trace of the killer or weapons could be found. Attached to the body was a note. We have enclosed it with this report. **_

_Like I said, Naruto will not be touched!_

_Likewise, do not let harm come to him._

_I will be watching._

_For this town's sake,_

_I warn you Hokage,_

_Guard him,_

_My love,_

_My life,_

_My Naruto._

Tsunade closed the folder and walked over to a sink and began to scrub furiously at her hands. Putting together what they had, one thing was missing from Itachi, His lips. Same went for Orochimaru, except his missing part was his long grotesque tongue.

"Baa-san?" A voice called out.

" It's Hokage." She replied as she dried her hands. " Come in Naruto."

" What ever it is, I didn't do it!" Already he got defensive.

" No, that's not it. We'll talk about that later." She narrowed her eyes as Naruto let out an uncomfortable laugh. " What did you do? Never mind. Naruto, would you mind if you stayed with Iruka-san for a few days?"

" No!" A gleeful smile was plastered on his face.

" Good, because starting today I need you to stay with him. By now your stuff should be at his place. Iruka, come in!"

The black haired Sensei stepped inside and gave Naruto a loving smile.

" He's all yours Iruka-san. Everyone knows you're the only one who can tame him. Everyone else gets exhausted to the brink of death, myself included." She leaned back in her chair and placed an arm over her eyes. " Take him Iruka, I have a lot to do today."

" I get to live with Iruka-sensei! I get to live with Iruka-sensei!" His overjoyed voice bounced off the walls as both, student and teacher exited the building.

" When is there never a medical nin when I need one?"

Outside, in a tree, I sat and watched Naruto walk next to Iruka. His smile made me fall more in love with him than ever before. His happiness is what kept me in check. I climbed down and walked around before heading to my home, or at least my safe house. Taking a jar out of my jacket, I placed it next to the other one. One long snake tongue…and the lips of a ferret. Sliding the wall shut, I step back and make sure that there are no cracks to show that there is anything beyond the wall. My list has been completed and I lie in wait to make sure that no harm come to my Beloved.

" Naruto…I want you…I need you…I will have you!" I moaned clutching a picture to my chest. Now let us see what this week brings us…shall we?

* * *

Yang-chan: This is WAY longer than the first chapter…but that's how it is. Tell me what you think. Note! I will not take any request because there are certain characters that I can not kill off, and I have a list made of who will die and how they will die…unless anyone wants to give me ideas of how a death should be dealt! Arigato! (bow)

(BTW this is a repost!)


	3. Blossom

Yang-chan: I should put this in the summary, this is a Sasu/Naru story, with a one sided Hina/Naru.

_**Mine Alone**_

_A Yang Production_

_7:00 am: Naruto woke up_

_7:03 am: Naruto is staring to get dressed  
7:08 am: Naruto has finished getting dressed. I did not peek once! (save that for later!)_

_7:09 am: He starts to boil water_

_7:10 am: Grabs a cup of instant Ramen from his cupboard._

_7:17 am: He eats_

_7:30 am: Several cups later, he leaves the house._

Snapping shut my note book I look out at the road that Naruto is walking on. Damn lucky road, being able to get so close to MY Naruto! So far he's been happy staying with Iruka. Yes, things are going well…just like I asked of the Hokage. I've seen the cruel things this town has done to MY Naruto. Every time I wanted to run up to him and hold him close while I battle those evil villagers, but…what could I do? I was so weak…I couldn't protect him then. Now I trained harder than ever before, all for him. I studied and absorbed as much information as I could, all leading to that one day when I will tell him… "You're mine."

Naruto had arrived at the training ground and he was late.

" Took you long enough!" Sakura shouted at him, while everyone else agreed.

" Gomen, I woke up late." Was his excuse.

" Kakashi-sensei comes up with better lies than you!"

" H-hello N-n-naruto-kun." A voice stammered. Hinata blushed as Naruto gave her a quick hello. Scanning the training grounds a realization came over him.

" Where's the bastard Sasuke?"

" He's not here yet."

" And I was late?"

" YES!" Sakura and Ino yelled at him. And after that yell who should appear but heart throb Sasuke? He struggled to conceal something under his arm, but everyone could see that it was a small black note and a scroll.

" You're late Sasuke!" Naruto pointed an accusing finger at Sasuke who shrugged it off like it was nothing. They began their training, during which Naruto asked Sakura out for the 100th time, Sakura asked Sasuke out for 1,098th time and they both were rejected coldly like always. All were unaware that someone was plotting a death of a blossom.

" See ya tomorrow!" Sakura waved to everyone as she stayed behind to cry bitter tears of defeat.

" Watch as I make Sasuke mine!" Ino yelled back in their own language. Making sure that no one was left, Sakura walked to a near by lake, dropped to the ground and let out a sob.

" Sakura-san. Don't cry it's unbecoming." I drawled lay lazily on a tree branch. She stood up quickly and dried her tears.

" W-who was crying? I has something in my eye!" Lame excuse.

" Kakashi can do better than you." I noticed that she winced at the comment. Good. " Turned Naruto down again."

" Who wants to go out with that pathetic loser?"

" Oh you'd be surprised." Dropping to the ground I walked up to her. " You have beautiful hair…nice and long…silky…soft." I ran a hand through her locks of hair. Something must have scared her for she backed away. " Sakura, come with me, there's something I want to show you." The soft grass underneath bent with each step I took. Like this grass I will make the whole of Konoha bend under MY will. Not many people know of the little building that I keep on the outskirts, but now I will show my love to someone else. It was small, something I built with my own hands to vent my anger for not being able to help Naruto. Pulling out a key, I opened the lock and slide the door open.

" It's so dark in here." She stammered. Nice voice…it'd be even better silenced!

" Don't worry, your eyes will adjust." Here I gave my usual smirk. With a slam the door shut behind us, trapping us inside.

" Okay…this isn't fun!"

" Fun?" My body twitched at the word. " Who said this was suppose to be fun?" Lighting a candle, light began to flood the room.

" What the hell is this!" Every square inch was covered in Naruto's face. In a corner I was dating the chopsticks that he used and threw away. Here and there you could find cloth from battles, stray hairs, even something that one could call blood.

" Do you like my collection?" I hugged my Naruto doll that took months to sew together, since hair sheds only some much. " It took a long time, but this is all mine. Someday I hope that Naruto can be mine also…and I will be his." Burying my face into the soft plush, I breathed the scent of Naruto. " Call me insane if you want Sakura-san…but I know myself…and I know what Naruto wants. I can not live another day in your shadow. I can not live with the way he looks at you, with that same longing I know too well."

" Look…you need help. Let me take you to get help." Her touch made me flinch.

" DO NOT TOUCH ME YOU BITCH!" I snapped and raised my hand. She fell to the ground clutch her cheek. Her eyes flew to the door.

Cocking my head to a side, a sick smile appeared on my face. " The door is seal with my Chakra…and only I can release it."

" Please…I promise not to tell anyone!" Was she pleading? Asking to let her go? How brain dead was this girl? She rejected Naruto over and over…and she dare ask me to let her go?

" What is it that you say to Naruto? Oh yeah…WHEN HELL FREZZES OVER!" You have to love that look when they finally realize their mistakes. It just gets to you, don't you agree? " Naru-kun, what should we do to this pink haired rat? Yes…that could work. You know Sakura-san, I like your hair…that's the only thing I like about you." I bent down and arranged Naruto so he did not have to watch me…kill Sakura. " There. Now watch the wall…oh and try to ignore any screams, okay my Naru-kun?"

A shadow caught my attention and I caught Sakura's arm as she tried to knock me out with a bowl I had lying around.

" Do you know what you have in your hand?" Her bone shattered in my hand, I could feel the small splinters of bones poking underneath my skin. " I could only get that one Ramen bowl that Naruto ate out of before someone noticed my love for him. Drop it." My voice was not that lively voice she had once heard. No, mess with something of Naru's you mess with me! I slipped one leg over hers and yanking back, forced her to the ground.

" Know what…for a bitch like you…no death would be good enough. It would disgrace any form of death to touch you." Her body relaxed a bit. Stupid girl, did she think that I would let her live?

" However, I will find one…But first, that hair of yours. It needs to come off." I pulled out the same tool that I had used on Itachi. " Mind if I take it? Of course you don't!" Her cries were in vain. Slowly, scalp and all, I managed to pull her hair off. " Lovely, I'll be sure to study it carefully. Hello? What's this?" That same slash across the Leaf symbol…when did that happen? How could I have missed it? A betrayer? Sakura?

" Betrayer…" I hissed loudly. Plunging the instrument deep enough to penetrate her skin, I pulled back and let the spine be exposed.

" Help…me…" Weak…stupid weak girl.

" No one to hear you out here!" Wrapping my slender fingers around that column of bone, I jerked and it came out. Her eyes dimmed as death came swiftly and carried her to a place far beyond our world. The one person that stood in my way was gone, but it did not bring any joy. This death was not like the others. It had no struggle. Too much trust and not enough strength.

" Naru-kun…" Her spine lay limp in my open hand, " This if for the best. I can't have anyone cause you harm like she did." It clattered as I tossed it aside in disgust. " Your happiness is mine." When you start a job, finish it! " Let's see what you really look like Sakura!" My laughter returned as I opened her body and took notes. Why not honor her body by studying it as she would want me to?

" Hey, Naru-kun…what should we eat tonight?" Still covered in flesh and blood I turned Naruto around so I could talk to him, face to plush face.

" Hey, have you guys seen Sakura?" Ino ran up to Naruto and Sasuke. A worried look that was never seen following a sentence with the word 'Sakura' was on her face. " We were suppose to meet for a sparring session, and she didn't show up. At first I thought that she finally admitted that she was weaker, but her parents called asking if she was with me. She didn't come home last night."

" WHAT!" Naruto got down from the tree that he was sitting in. " That's not like her. Have you asked everyone else?"

" Yes, I even asked Kakashi if he tried to take her home with him. He didn't."

" Not, good. Ino-chan, keep looking around, Sasuke you bastard, go with her." He didn't reply so Naruto knew that he was going to do it. " I'm going to go talk with Baa-san." A puff of smoke later, he was outside Tsunade's office.

" BAA-SAN!" Never one to knock on her door, he charged right in. " Sakura-chan is missing!" No one was inside. " Baa-san?" Only a soft hum replied to his question. For the first time, he noticed a door off to side of the office. Curiously, he made his way to the door. His hand rested against the door knob and he turned. Peering inside, he saw a metal table with something covered by a white sheet on it.

" Naruto!" Someone pulled him back and shut the door. " What are you doing here?"

" Hello Baa-san! What am I doing here…? Oh yeah! Baa-san! Sakura-chan is missing!"

" It's HOKAGE. I know that Sakura is missing, her parents were in here a while ago. Don't worry about it. With have a team of highly skilled Shinobi's on the case."

" That's a relief! Err…Baa-san?"

" HOKAGE! What?"

" Can you put me down?" Naruto hovered about 5 inches off the ground. " It's kinda hard to walk if my feet can't touch the ground." She released him from her iron grip and watched as he got near the door.

" Naruto?"

" What is it Baa-san?"

" What did you see in that room?"

" Nothing. Why?"

" Just go then!" He left mumbled something about a crazy old hag. Making sure that he was gone, she entered the room and pulled back the white sheet. Sakura looked peaceful now that she lay on the table, but her body told a different story. There were awkward stitches covering her whole body, like someone had used her for practice. Bones were placed in the wrong areas, deforming her body. Some one had totally rearranged her inner organs.

" Sick." She picked up the note that was attached to the body.

_A betrayer of Konoha,_

_Who loved to study_

_So I returned the favor_

_By studying her!_

In her hand she held Sakura's headprotector. The slash across the symbol was fresh, done as if by a surgical instrument. When betrayers were caught and returned the slash had been worn down form constant battle and weather.

" What's is going on in Konoha?" In fury, she slammed her hand down on the table. " You didn't deserve this Sakura. Poor Cherry Blossom." She gently touched the battered face of the girl. " To be returned in your state... Your parents were so upset at your death."

They had come in at the order of the Hokage. It pained her to show them, but they pleaded to see their daughter.

" I want to see it with my own eyes." Her mother dabbed her eyes. " I won't believe it till I see her body."

" Come this way." She lead them into the room. Both parent approached the table holding their breath. The mother let out a pained wail at the sight of her body.

" NO! NO! SAKURA! MY LITTLE GIRL!"

" Who did this?" Her father questioned.

" We're not sure. Who ever did it, didn't know what they were doing. We performed an autopsy and…"

" And? There's more than what was done to her body?"

" Her…hair was found stuffed inside her skull…her brain is missing."

Both parents had to be taken to the hospital, mental collapse. Tsunade clenched Sakura's head protector in her hand. " You didn't deserver this. We'll catch who ever did this."

" Hokage-sama!" The ANBU leader called. Wiping her face clean, she stepped out. " I'm sorry, were you busy?"

" No. What is it?"

" Teams are ready. We just need your command and your seal." She stared at the paper in front of her. Placing the Hokage seal, she looked up at the Captain.

" Find the Damn Murderer…and bring their decaying carcass to me!"

" As you command." _Poof!_ They were going to alert the teams.

The sun peeked between the clouds, giving some hope to the town. " We'll get you!"

Get me? Is that what you think Hokage-sama? I just did the whole village a favor!

" You know Sakura…your brain is better than your hair. It made you smart and it failed you!" Another jar to add to my collection. I need a long bath and maybe I'll have time to write more into my note book? Things I do..._Sigh._

Yang-chan: So many reviews and so many people I can not please. You'll just have to read and figure out who the Stalker is cuz I can't say right now! (smile) Native Sakura, thank you for what you said! Mhm…I think I'll just write this fic as it is meant to be…and the Stalker is NOT an OC. So and way…review!


	4. Boar

Disclaimer: Oh forgot this in the first 3 chapters! I DO NOT OWN NARUTO! Damn, why must the world be so cruel!

_**Mine Alone**_

_A Yang Production_

Look at the swarm of people! So many come to say goodbye to that girl. What a pleasant surprise, something I did not even see. Everyone wept so bitterly…fantastic. Absolutely fantastic.

"-Lastly, I do not want you to wander alone after dark, stay paired up, and report anything suspicious to the nearest ANBU." Hello Hokage. Do you like to listen to your own voice? Everyone's too busy cry their eyes out…

" Please pay your last respects to our fallen Shinobi." With that, the group walked forward to place their flowers at her picture. Face to face with her picture, I place my rose down like any other human…You look lovely in your picture, Sakura-san. Why don't you show off that lovely face now? Turning away, I walk and in chance hear the voice that could only belong to an Angel.

" Sakura-chan…" Naruto called out. My heart stopped beating right there. " No…there was still a chance you would go out with me!" He was holding back, still trying to act. " I swear to you that I will find who did this to you." I took off and anyone seeing me would think I could not take much more. Maybe I was too quick in killing off the Cherry Blossom? No! With time Naruto's love for her will die like the last embers of winter, and he will have to go on…and I'll be waiting for him.

" Naruto…" Ino placed a hand on the boys shoulder. " I know how much you miss her…I do too."

" But who would do this!" He asked. " Who would kill her! What did she ever do to them?" Then Ino did something that she had never done before, She hugged Naruto.

" Don't cry you big dolt. Sakura wouldn't want you to cry."

" Yeah, she'd want me to get up and go on."

" Yeah, so why you go do that?"

" Thanks Ino-san…" He got up, dusted off his pants, and still sniffling walked away to join the others. Ino waved that she needed a minuet or two more.

" Sakura, you Baka! Why did you leave? Don't you see that now without you, I have a better chance of getting Sasuke?" The wind supplied her with an answer. Slightly content with that, she got up and joined the others. They walked until they reached a small diner. Naruto didn't even complain when he saw that they had no ramen, the very elixir of life.

" To Sakura, the smartest and prettiest Shinobi of her time." Naruto stood and held his glass up. Everyone followed suit. " To Sakura."

" To Sakura." Came the soft voices of those around him. Food appeared and somehow everyone ate knowing that they had to go on with their life. Naruto looked down at his plate and then at Ino who sat off in a corner by herself, just staring out a window at the clear blue sky.

" You know that the sky is always there." He said standing behind her.

" It seems to be the only constant thing in my life."

" Ino, eat something. If not for yourself, then for Sakura." In his hands he held a plate filled with and assortment of food. " Even just a little."

" What's the point? Sakura's not here." She left him slide in next to her. Taking her hand into his, he replied.

" You're here aren't you? That's what matters. Think about, what would Sakura say to you right now?"

" I won Sasuke's attention and you didn't?"

" That's not what I really had in mind…but I'll work with that. You not eating isn't going to bring here back. Will you eat now?" A small nod was all he got. " Good."

" You know, for a blonde, your not that stupid."

Blushing he gave her a quick thanks. Excusing himself, he said good bye and left the small diner. Outside, he could hear the silent steps of the shadow that followed him.

" Sasuke!"

" What is it dobe?"

" What do you want?"

"…Nothing."

" Then why are you following me?"

" To make sure you don't do anything stupid like try to join Sakura." For this Naruto gave no reply and continued his walk home. There were whispers around him.

" That's him…that you know what boy."

" Maybe she couldn't take it being in the same Cell with him and ya know…"

" Poor girl…to be around him…no wonder she died."

It was bad enough that they talked like that when he was within ear shot…but to have them defile Sakura's good name? Hot prickling tears blinded him as he took off running. _Sakura didn't kill her self okay?_ He told himself over and over again in his head. Something hard ran into him, something hard and thin. The door to Iruka's house.

" Dobe! DOBE!" Not the voice he really wanted to hear right now. " Can you hear me Dobe or have you gone deaf?"

" I'm not in the mood Sasuke you bastard." He fumbled with his keys. Opening the door was hard enough, but with tears in his eyes and his body not moving like he wanted to, Sasuke came right next to him.

" Crying dobe?"

" No! Dust flew into my eye." Sasuke grabbed the key from his fellow cell mates hand. He opened the door and led Naruto in.

" It's alright. When my clan was buried following the massacre…I cried too." Pause. Naruto looked at the retreating figure that was Uchiha. " Sometimes when people care so much for someone else…they do stupid things." He closed the door behind him, leaving one dazed blonde behind.

Days passed by…weeks…months…okay that was exaggerating but it felt like time would never speed up. Stupid Ino had stole time away from Naruto! Time that he'll never have back. She was the last one to leave the place, she loved to take her time.

" Brr…" She shivered at the evening air. Rubbing her arms for warmth, she took off in the direction of her home. There were ANBU all around. On great…I'm so scared.

" Ino!" I placed a hand on her shoulder. " Hey, you okay? You seemed a little pale today." She turned and gave me a smile.

" No…how about we go near the lake?"

" Fine by me. Do you want to talk about it?" Wanna die? Playing nice was not really my thing.

" Yes…I would."

" Come on then." Taking a back alley we reached the near by lake in no time at all…and better yet, no one saw us.

" Why did she have to die?" Her first question really hit base.

" Because she lived?"

" Be serious!"

(sigh) " I don't know."

" She really was the worst best friend I ever had. The worst." She sobbed. I patted her back and tried to calm her down. Well…I didn't really try.

" Ino, would you…If you could that is, talk to her again?"

" I'd give anything to talk to her."

" Anything…?" Pulling out a bottle and two cups I grinned at her. " They say that sometimes when you dream you cross over to their side and then you can talk to them." I poured out the Sake that I managed to smuggle out. " Here, Sake. So you can sleep well."

" Thanks." She grasped the cup firmly in both hands. Rolling around the candy that I popped into my mouth earlier, we drank in Sakura's name. 6 shots later, Ino smiled drunkly at me.

" You know a lot about plants don't you Ino?" I drank my 7th glass.

" Flowers!"

" Flowers! Plants what's the difference? Have another glass!" That's it. Drink up, let your guard down.

" So what? You wanna open a plant shop?" She swayed lazily underneath a tree branch.

" Nah! I just wanted to know something." Swirling the remaining liquid in the bottle, I opened Ino's mouth and poured what was left down her throat. " Do you know hemlock is?" I spit into my hand what was left of the candy.

" Poison for the human body. Oh boy…drank too much Sake." Bending over in slight pain, Ino groaned. " Strong stuff."

" Heh, you don't know the half of it!" I just hate the small round pit that I used to make the an- er candy.

" Eh? Why Hemlock?"

" Because…" The Sake bottle lay at our feet, an innocent bottle that helped bring to me the life of another. " You just drank 2/3 of that bottle yourself. It had a strong dose of Hemlock in it. That pain you felt earlier was just a way of your body to say, ' You're gonna die.' Do you remember what your parents taught you about Hemlock? It paralyzes you…you slowly lose consciousness and you drift into the great beyond. Oh look it's starting to work."

Ino struggled to move her body. It jerk awkwardly and some parts were becoming numb. " W-why aren't y-y-you dying!"

I reached into my pocket and pulled out a ball of wax sheet. Inside were more 'after dinner mints' that I had been eating the whole time. " Mints…want one? Of course you don't!" With strength that even surprised me, she reached into her bag and pulled out a Kunai. Her long lovely locks were cut and she scattered the, in the air. Oh, boy…I'd seen this trick before. Rushing forward, she swung trying to plunge the Kunai into me. Jumping back, I realized that I had stepped right into the path of falling strands of hair. Standing in her usual pose, she got ready for the Mind-Body switching that her family was so famous for. " Katon Karyuu Endan!" From yours truly the 3rd Hokage, rest in peace ya dead Hokage! A huge dragon made of flames erupted from my mouth, and it encircled me, causing the hairs to be nothing more that air. Now it speed across the ground with one more target in mind, Ino. Of course she wouldn't be dumb or drunk enough to just stand there. Apparently she had forgotten that a poison moves quicker if you move your body. The again…good for her! The dragon disappeared. (cough) (cough) After fumes…gotta hate it.

" Hey Ino-san…what's wrong?" Straining against her own body, she tried to get up. " Better lay down and let the poison do it's job." I pushed her back down. "Forgetful girl! Now it's nearly done. Here you'll lay in death. But don't worry. Do you like lilies or roses?" Her eyes just sent out a glare. " Lilies it is!" Putting them in her hand, I smiled at my lovely work. Poor girl. " Looks like rain…better for me. Have a good night. I'm sorry that I can't be here to watch you breathe your last…oh what the hell! I did bring an umbrella! Don't make me wait to long." I sat down next to her and watched.

Death was not so quick this time around. But it was amusing to watch her glare at me. But what was better was when I told her to say Hi to Sakura.

" After all, we had a fun time…you know me disfiguring her. I always believe that best friends need to stay together."

Hokage-sama…oh what am I going to do to you? Keep these pest away from Naruto. He doesn't need them. I don't need them. Hell…they don't need us. But I rather have them die than Naruto. To see life slip from those blue orbs…that would be murder. I am no murderer, I am merely saving one life by killing those around him. So peaceful when he is asleep. Like an angel. The window was open so I decided to let myself in. My hand trembled as I reached out and brushed a strand of hair out of his face. Inching closer, I could almost feel his breath on me. Those warm loving lips. They tasted so much better than anything I had ever imagined. Someone was standing outside his bedroom. Crap! How could I forget that he was now living with Iruka?

" Naruto!"

"eh?" He sat up groggily, rubbing the sleep from his eyes. " Iruka-sensei! Wots th' matt'r?"

" I heard something in here. You okay?"

" Sleepy." Iruka looked around…nothing was missing and there was a closed window. _I thought Naruto left that window open?_

"Sorry…I'm just a little paranoid with what happened today. Go back to sleep."

" That's something I can do…" He fell asleep right after that. Assured that Naruto was in no danger, Iruka went to bed.

Sasuke, unlike some people, was still awake, pacing around his home. In his mind still fresh was the image of Naruto crying over the loss of his love. It stirred something forgotten in his heart. Wait did he even have a heart anymore?

" Don't worry dobe. I'll make sure that no more harm comes to you." A blush crept up on his pale face._ Damn, is it hot in here or what? Mental note to self: FIX HEATER!_

_**Official Report**_

_**Hokage-sama-**_

**_It is my regret to inform you that again another body was found. That of Yamanaka Ino who was found at 4 this morning. We had difficulties retrieving the body, there were unknown poisonous plants covering the whole area, a touch could have killed us. A sample of the plant has been taken to be tested. In your hands Hokage, rest what shall be known to the public. The parents are anxious about the whereabouts of their daughter._**

_**-ANBU Captain.**_

Another death. Tsunade was growing impatient with the progress that was taking place. In her village that so many had died for, someone was shedding innocent blood. The autopsy showed Hemlock present in the body. A high amount. Oh, and traces of Sake, but that did not matter. Another note was wrapped around Ino's head protector.

_Roses are white_

_Violets are blue_

_Death ain't so swift_

_For traitor like her._

Again a fresh cut across the leaf symbol. Made not too long ago. "This had got to stop."

"You know, when you personally make them a betrayer, it makes things so much sweeter." I said to no one in particular. Good bye Boar. It was nice to know you.

* * *

Yang-chan: Okay…mhm. You know, that unnamed person who corrected me on Ch. 2, I wish I could give credit where credit is due, but I don't know your name…pen name. Oh well just call me BAKA BLACK! (poses dramatically) No really, I was looking at my stuffed ferret at the time ( grabs ferret and tries to kill it) STUPID FERRET! YOU TRICKED ME!

Ferret: That I did and I got stuffing for brains! Besides, it's your fault for believing me. You even had a conversation about Itachi last week with your friends.

Yang-chan: I'll kill you later, but for now…stay in your cage.

Ferret: I'm not really alive…I can't go anywhere.

Yang-chan: How are you talking to me then?

Ferret: I slipped something into your tea and coffee this morning.

Yang-chan: (evil glare) Fine! Question! Who do you think is the stalker? IF you guess right…then your right. If your wrong then…your wrong. I might be able to give the winner who gives me the right answer with the right motive, why they want to kill the betrayers, and all that lovely bloody stuff a role in my story! Except…

Ferret: Except?

Yang-chan: I need to make one up! So send in your guess! Review, Ciao (wink) Now ferret about YOUR tea…


	5. Deer

Disclaimer: Some where in some other dimension, I own Naruto…here the sad truth is that I don't. Thanks for reminding me…(glances evil look at her Ferret)

_**Mine Alone**_

_A Yang Production_

Lets' see…Snake, Weasel, Blossom, Boar. Nice little combo I got going there, don't you think? I didn't think I'd have to kill two others…but it's a nice thought. For two weeks I keep my hands to myself. And around the bend the Konoha Village festival was waiting. A chance to see Naruto in a Yukata! What more could I ask for? Possible to hold Naruto but that would be later. Today I will get ready. Must look my best for him.

" Yo, Naruto, ready?" Sasuke knocked on the door, dressed and ready in his dark blue Yukata. Naruto, annoyed that Sasuke had to tag along with him, swung open the door and glared at him.

" Hang on! Iruka-sensei is still trying to get his on." Naruto was dressed in his trademark bright I-can-blind-you-if-you-stare-too-long-at-me orange. " Iruka-sensei! Are you ready?"

" The festival is not going to leave you know Naruto!" Iruka said as he came out in a pine green Yukata and hand Naruto a pouch of money . " Let's go. Today's just a day of fun and games, try to get your mind off things."

Things…Sakura and Ino's inhumane murders. The fact that someone out there was targeting Konoha girls.

" Thank you Iruka." The three set off and found themselves surrounded by vendors and game booths. So many…and so little money! Naruto drooled as he watched a young girl eat a bowl of Ramen.

" This way Dobe…" Sasuke yanked the back of Naruto's clothes dragging him away from the sweet aroma. " Don't think a flood is what we need now…Dobe?" His hand clawed at empty air. " DOBE!"

" Sasuke?" Naruto wheeled around trying to figure out how the hell he got lost. One second Sasuke was dragging him away, the next he was standing in some unknown section of the festival. Seeing that this was his chance, he took off running to the nearest Ramen stand.

" Ramen, life's perfect food…gotta gets some in my tummy!" He sang while he took his seat. " The largest bowl of Miso Ramen you got!"

" Ramen? Is that what you have at a festival? The same thing you eat every single day?" A voice at his right asked.

" Shikamaru!" Shikamaru stared into his fifth cup of tea. Normally, Shikamaru was not a tea drinker unless something really was troubling him.

" Hey."

" What's up with the tea?" Naruto picked up his chopsticks and began to eat.

"Eh…felt like tea." He motioned to the vendor to fill his cup yet again.

" You know kid, I like tea as much as the next guy but I think you hit your limit."

" I'll tell you when I had enough!" He slammed his cup down. " I said another!"

" Hey, no need to be so angry. Here." Steam rose from the kettle as tea raced to fill the emptiness. " Kids…"

" Grown-ups…" Shikamaru sighed into his tea.

" chikamaro!" Naruto spoke through a mouthful of ramen. "Wot's rung?"

" Nothing." Typical Shikamaru answer.

Gulping down the hot Ramen, Naruto turned to his comrade. " I know something's wrong. It's Ino ain't it?"

" Don't drag her into this!" he slammed his hand on the table. " I just can't believe that she's dead. The only girl I ever paid attention to!"

" Shikamaru…We never really knew each other well, I mean you're a lazy bum that likes to watch clouds go by and I was really busy trying to kick Sasuke's butt, but I'm sure that you moping like this isn't what she wanted you to do."

Shikamaru slowly turned to stare at Naruto. Who was this guy that looked like Naruto, ate like Naruto, and talked like Naruto but really wasn't?

" If anything, she'll try to get you to train and fail horribly at it. Maybe she meant well so she didn't have to see you get hurt." Something warm was placed on his forehead.

" You're not running a fever so your not delusional. How the hell can you sound so damn wise when your just some stupid blonde? Never mind I don't want to know. Thanks for trying to cheer me up Naruto." He planted a firm hand on Naruto's shoulder. " You may not look it, but your bright beyond years. See ya."

Naruto smiled triumphantly and returned to his bowl, never seeing the NO TEA sign.

Shikamaru looked so lost, much like a stray puppy. Two masked ANBU at my side, I approached him.

" How are you feeling Shikamaru?"

He turned around and let out a sigh of relief. " It's only you. What are you doing by yourself?"

" Not alone." I pointed to the Bunny and Wolf masked ANBU. " Say you don't look so good. Are you drunk?"

"No…maybe…" He's the only guy I know who's lazy enough to get drunk off of tea. Typical Shikamaru.

" Let me guess Vendors cut off your supply of tea? They're out to get you. I got an idea, why don't we play a game of Go and have some tea?" He seemed to perk up at the idea. " These two ANBU guards will be with us the whole time."

" Where to then?"

" There are too many people here, and I don't like distractions while I play. There's an old Game room just up ahead where I sometimes go to play. Let's go there." He nodded and we began the last journey together. Taking out the keys, the two guards opened the door.

" I'll get the tea ready, you pull out the game board." I walked into a small kitchen and set a kettle to boil. Let this one go a bit easier than the others.

" We'll choose for color." He placed two stones down and I grabbed a handful of black stones. 12, he was black and I was white. No matter.

" How many stones are you putting down?"

" None, we play even." He placed his first stone down and I replied.

" Ino loved you." He dropped his stone and looked at me in disbelief.

" What the…? How do you know this?" 6 points for me, 25 for him.

" I saw her last breath. I knew that she loved you, everyone knew, you were the only one who didn't realize it."

" Then…MURDERER!"

" Nope! Wrong! Say, let's make this game more interesting." He shook his head and walked towards the two ANBU guards. The kettle let out a small whistle and I retrieved it. Pouring out the tea I took my place at the board and blew to cool my tea.

" They don't like to be touched." The mask clattered to the ground as lumps of clay fell. " Let's make a bet Shikamaru. If you win this game I'll turn myself in." I paused while I took a drink.

" And if you win?"

" If I win…you die." Giving him time to think was not as boring as I thought. He gave me a quick reply.

" I could walk out this door right now and contact the Hokage."

I reached into my Yukata and pulled out a letter.

" My Dear Shikamaru," I began, " I know that you'll never get this letter till I die, but I just wanted you to know that I love you." He stopped he retreat. " What a lovely letter, don't you think? But if you walk out now, you'll never get this letter that she spent so much of her soul to write." Anything Ino related got his attention. He walked back and sat down.

" Let's continue."

" You should know that you made the mistake when you challenged me to a no handicap game." Shikamaru smirked as he placed another stone down, challenging me to reply.

" Maybe you're right…I should have given you at least 3 stones!" With one move I had captured many prisoners and gained territory. " That's 17 points." Klank! " 5 more for me."

" 10 points for me." He didn't sound to confidant.

" Really?" Setting another stone down, I captured more. " 20."

He began to sweat. He was losing. HE WAS LOSING. The comeback master, he could not see any way to beat this game. Another stone was set down and he realized that he could have cut off that line.

" Want to continue?"

"…"

" What was that?" 24 more points. " Right now you can't beat me. 20 to 89. Give up. I'll give you the letter." I took a stone in between my fingers and launched it at his head protector. A small dent was made. Damn! I need a slash! SLASH!

" I resign…"

" Sometimes there is honor in defeat…" Oh boy…I need to stop reading all those soul books. I held up the letter and with a flick, it burst into flames.

" You said you'll give me the letter!"

" I never said in what state." The ashes fluttered down around him. I could see anger in his eyes. " Now, it's time for you to keep your end of the bet. I need your life."

" Why the hell are you doing this!"

" Why? Love."

" Love?"

" I love Naruto. I need him. But if you filthy beasts are around him, I can't get to him. I must get rid of you. Oh. Did you know that this place has the best lighting? No shadows!" Lights blinded him. I launched two more Go stones, and it made the dent even deeper. Eh, one more for good luck. With that stone, he became a betrayer. I swooped down silently and his screams muffled, I won the game.

" Sasuke! Where the hell were you bastard?" Naruto finally found him, standing outside a game building.

" Looking for you." He turned around, holding something that resembled a Carmel Apple. " Where did you run off to?"

" I ran into Shikamaru at a Ramen shop. He seemed to be drunk. Poor guy. Who the hell gets drunk off tea?" He didn't see Sasuke's eyes shift. " Anyway, come on. We need to go. Is that for me?" He pointed to the sticky mess of an apple.

" Take it." Sasuke handed it over to Naruto and walked off. " You know, I never would have thought that you were smart. It's a nice change."

Choking on a piece of the apple, Naruto looked for signs of the Apocalypse. Naruto said nice in a sentence directed at him! Ok, someone was slipping things into peoples tea's.

A murmur rippled across the festival. The Hokage was summoned to a Game building.

" Open the door." She ordered. The door splintered. Inside on a table, was a cup of tea, still warm with a not attached.

_Problems of Life and Death,_

_Always keep liberties,_

_In his case, he had none,_

_Thus he lost the game and more_

" HOKAGE!" Someone pointed to a boy that was kneeling over a game board. Shikamaru stared at the board that held the game he lost.

" Shikamaru! Oh god, you're alright." The crowd that had gathered gave a small sigh of relief. Tsunade placed a hand on his shoulder and asked him what happened. He gave no reply.

" Shika-" His body fell limp to the ground and small black and white Go pieces poured from his mouth. A tea cup held some red liquid and a note was attached to this one too.

_He played a good game,_

_He loved a good girl,_

_But betrayers who touch Naruto,_

_Lose the game of Life and Death._

His face held scratches that spelled out Betrayer…and there was a needle poking out almost invisible from his neck. No wonder the Go pieces poured out. Tsunade looked over the game and realized that there was one move that could beat it. She picked up a piece and played the one move that Shikamaru, in his fear and anger, did not see.

" We'll catch you." She slammed the piece down and the noise silenced the town. " Bring his body to the office, there might be more to it than what we see." The container for the Go pieces was missing and only Kami-sama knew where they put it.

Not bad Hokage. The building had cleared out, and I looked down at the board.

" Sometimes, you must kill off in order to win." I scooped up the prisoners and left. Tucked under my left arm, I had a small brown container, and it's contents were of course a Romantic secret. I'm a sap for romance. It's great when there's a happy ending for the lovers, reunited at last. Just one last stop. I climbed into Naruto's window and left a letter on his pillow. Have pleasant dreams, me love. Something whizzed by my head, a shuriken, that left a small thin welt on my face. Iruka must have left some traps after the last time I visited. I see that he did not want me visiting Naruto late at night. He's getting to close to Naruto…I must give him a talk. But for now, Leaving is such sweet sorrow.

_Naruto-_

_Love makes people do crazy things._

_That is true for me._

_I love you._

Naruto re-read the letter again. Love makes people do crazy things? Where had he heard that before? He hid the letter from Iruka and pondered the things that were going on. Could he be the tie between everything?

* * *

Yang-chan: Poor Naru-chan! He's a little slow…just a little! Anyway, let's answer some reviews!

Kativa-Chan: It's all in the past! Besides, I wasn't that upset!

Ferret: Cried her eyes out!

Yang-chan: FERRET!

hogo-chan: Thanks! I feel special!

Ferret: Great her ego is inflating.

Yang-chan: How about I skin ya?

Someone-san: Who is your guess?

Ferret:…

Yang-chan: Ferret…

Dreams Raven-sama: Yes, we all want to know who Stalker-san is. It's not any of the dead people!

Ferret: Then again, with you…

Yang-chan: What about me?

akuma-river-sama: I like your thinking! Good thinking!

Ferret: At least they think unlike some people we know…

Yang-chan: What was that!

kawaii kitsune-kun: Gaara? That's a first, here have a cookie!

Ferret: I think Gaara too!

Yang-chan: One word, DIET.

Jenniyah-sama: Think Sasuke huh? I'm not gonna say anything! Naruto is going to become aware now.

Ferret: I think Sasuke

Yang-chan: Anything just not to go to the machine eh?

kionat-sama: I love your thinking. Yes, I think we're all DYING to know who stalker-san's is.

Ferret: Enough with the death jokes.

Yang-chan: Wanna be one?

Lady Samurai-sama: Yes, another death…

Ferret: Death…

Yang-chan: What about it?

Anyway, keep reading, keep guessing! Send me a private e-mail with a more detailed search and you might win a role in my story…if I could think of one. (sweatdrop) One last note! Since I am still in school, there won't be rapid chapter updates like before. GOMEN! I'll try to update every other day. So bear with me.

Ferret: Never fear, I'll be here at your side, helping you write/type faster.

Yang-chan: Gee…thanks, deadweight.


	6. Dolphin

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto…I merely use already existing characters and throw them into some doomed plot and later watch as they squirm. In short, they are not mine!

_**Mine Alone**_

_A Yang Production_

I plucked a red petal from the rose. He loves me…He loves me more…He loves me…He loves me more…and so on. Upon reaching the last petal I said in a small whisper, " He loves me."

Iruka woke up and notice that Naruto was not in his room. Naruto normally had to be doused in icy water and be told that his Ramen was going to freeze before he would even make a moment to indicate that he would get out of his bed. The smell of ramen drifted over to his nose.

" Naruto?" He peeked into the kitchen. A ball of orange with a tuff of blonde hair was sitting at the table. There was the crinkling of paper in his hands and the sound of ramen being slurped. " Naruto?" He looked up and noticed Iruka.

" Iruka-sensei!" What ever he had in his hand, he scrambled to hide it. " What are you doing!"

" I'm always up at 5 this morning. What about you? Something wrong?" The father figure within himself surfaced.

" Well.." Naruto fidgeted uncomfortably in his chair. " No! Nothings wrong. I'm going out for a walk!"

" I'm coming too. You can't wander alone at this time of the day." He grabbed a warm jacket and followed Naruto out. The moon was still outside casting it's eerie light on the road. A stray pebble became the center of Naruto's attention as he kicked it. It bounced along till it came to a rest a little ahead of him. Bent on beating the rock that had caused him no harm what so ever, he kicked it again.

" Iruka…what's it like to be in love?"

Iruka jumped a little in the air from Naruto's question. " Wha-?" Then a smile came over his face. " Oh! You finally found some one to love? I knew it! Who's the lucky girl?" Iruka ruffled Naruto's hair. At the comment, Naruto blushed and quickly came to his own defense.

" NO! It's not like that…I'm just wondering what someone who is in love does?"

" That's it? Here I was planning your wedding too! Just kidding Naruto!" He laughed off the look that Naruto was giving him. " Well, love is a hard emotion to really describe. It's different for each person. But love makes people do crazy things sometimes…" An image of the perverted Kakashi popped into his mind. " and it's hard to get over that feeling."

" What kinda of crazy things?"

" Oh, you spend ridiculous amounts of money on gifts, you blush like mad and can't talk in front of that person. Sometimes they might leave a giant cake with your name on it outside your home and when you get it inside, they jump out scarring you for life and give you something really revealing that they force you to try on and model for them…and then you kick them out of the house and they return with the biggest teddy bear, a box of chocolate, and a dozen roses with a balloon that says 'I'm sorry', and of course you can't say no, so you bring them in saying, 'come in you big jerk' and both of you sit on the couch and eat the chocolate while watching a tearjerker while he just reads his perverted book." Iruka blushed at the thought and looked at Naruto. Naruto was rolling on the ground and screaming something about Virgin ears and tainted image. " Sometimes, you get so carried away you do things that are sometimes unlawful…" His thoughts drifted to the time that Kakashi had written on the Hokage building in big black letters ' KAKASHI LOVES IRUKA 4EVER!' It was memorable, but he spent five days cleaning it up. He continued to walk, not hearing what Naruto had said about the last comment.

" Even murder?"

Sasuke hated mornings, he always woke up to an empty house. Just once he wished he could wake up and have someone next to him say 'Good morning.' Suddenly a orange clad hyperactive blonde popped into his mind. A slight pinkish tint appeared on his skin, but he pushed that feeling away and decided that he would skip breakfast. He'd go out and train. Yeah, training would get his mind off Naruto…why the heck was he thinking about Naruto? Even in sleep he couldn't help but bug him. Taking a stroll towards the training ground who should appear but the person of his dreams?

" Sasuke? What brings you here?" Iruka asked as he leaned against the rail of the bridge.

" Walk."

" Don't talk like that to Iruka-sensei! Show respect!" Naruto gladly flipped Sasuke off but was punished for it.

" You know, you should be alone right now."

" I'm not afraid to face him. There's nothing for me to die for." The wind blew ruffling his hair.

" Alright, since you two are here why don't you just stay together? I need to report to the Hokage office in about 5 minutes. Be nice and don't ki-err…beat each other to a bloody pulp alright?" Getting two nods, Iruka disappeared in a small puff of smoke.

" Hmh…murderer." Sasuke stared down at the water watching the small ripples in the surface of the water as it flowed. " The only real murderer around here is my brother…and he's long gone."

" Eh?"

" Nothing…I'll see you later." Saying nothing else, Sasuke simply walked away.

" What's up with him?" Then he noticed something fall from Sasuke's pocket before Sasuke took off running in his normal training method. It was a small orange poppy, the one Naruto liked. Sasuke saw it outside growing next to a bunch of other wild flowers. Distinctly he recalled that Naruto mentioned those flowers as being his favorite. So why was he picking one? Why did he even remember that comment? Most importantly why was he so anxious about Naruto?

Picking it up, Naruto looked at it puzzled. Maybe it was just a coincidence? Let's hop that no one was lacing his tea!

" HEY! DON'T LEAVE ME ALONE!"

" N-naruto-k-kun?" A shy voice timidly called out. Hinata was standing behind him with her cousin Neji at her side.

" Hey, Hinata-san! Neji-san. What are you doing out here at this time of the morning?"

" We could ask the same of you." Neji nodded his head. " I would think that you would still be asleep."

" No…Are those Poppies?"

" Yes…my cousin insisted that we go out and pick them this morning." He looked at Hinata who blushed bright red.

" Na-naruto-kun…t-t-these are for y-you!" She held out an armful of bright orange flowers. " Y-you d-d-didn't s-s-s-eem so w-well. I was w-worried."

" Eh? Well thanks…" Naruto took the flowers, gave her a smile, nodded to Neji, and head to town to buy a vase to put them in.

" That went well don't you think?" Neji held Hinata up as she had collapsed. " What now?"

" I'm gonna stay here just a bit…my head is spinning."

" Want me to stay with you?"

" No, I have it…" She activated her bloodlines famous art, Byakugan. Without turning her head, she could see her cousin walking away. A sigh escaped from her. " Love is a crazy thing…"

Iruka walked out peacefully holding a bunch of scrolls. He hummed a little tune as he went along his way towards his home. Kakashi had just visited him not too long ago, and he had left a note to visit him at his home at 7 for…reasons that young ones should not really hear. (wink wink nudge nudge). The street was empty so he was able to reach his home pretty quickly. He had just been inside for just a few seconds when I knocked on his door.

" Who is-ah! It's you, come inside, you shouldn't be out here alone." He opened the door.

" No time…Naruto…river! I think he was attacked. He needs your attention NOW!" I gasped. I didn't bother for a reply, grabbing his hand I dragged him away from the safety of his home.

" What! I need to alert the others!"

" NO! He's in danger! The murderer is after him!" Why is it when someone says murderer in a sentence the other person completely forgets the dangers?

We hurried along, gathering speed and reaching the river front in time. A tuff of blonde poked out from underneath a bush.

" Naruto!" He picked up 'Naruto.' A big old smiley face stared back at him, with the word Gotcha! scrawled on it. " Huh?" WOOSH! The world turned upside down as he hung suspended from a plain and simple noose tied around his ankles.

" And I thought Sensei would never fall for such a simple trap."

" WHAT THE HELL IS THE MATTER WITH YOU!"

" Nothing…"

" Then get me down!"

" Nope!" A second rope snaked out and tied his hands together, pulling it under his head so both his hands and feet were bound. " I really just want to talk to you, Sensei. You seem to not like my late night visits to Naruto. My face still has the little gift you left me." A red angry welt still showed. " I merely wanted to see Naruto."

" You were the one who visited Naruto!"

" Yes. Now, Iruka-sensei, I request a small favor. Put some distance between you and Naruto."

" Hell no."

" I was hoping that you would agree." Two blank scrolls appeared in my hand. " Maybe I can get rid of you and never say I beat my teacher in a battle." The seals broke and they rose swaying like snakes. A little something that I read from the scroll that a certain someone had on their body. " Sensei, I ask you once more, will you or will you not put more distance between you and Naruto?"

" No. I love Naruto like a son, and I will protect him."

" Love? Love…You say that you love him? Would you dip your hands into blood freshly spilled?"

" My own student…have you no shame? No conscience?"

" No…No! Now Sensei, I must silence you!" The scrolls lashed out and wrapped themselves around him body, making him a mummy. The ropes loosened and he fell to the ground with a thud.

" Sensei, I need you to stay quite for a while. Why don't I take you to my place? First, those scrolls are lined with a very powerful nerve toxin that will leave you in a death like state until I administer the antidote." His struggle subsided and he became absolutely still. " Let's go…" There was complete silence and I knew that the Hokage was coming. Iruka was supposed to hand in the reports via the messenger eagle. I forgotten that the bird was trapped at home. Crap! I can't drag him home!

" Lucky Sensei! But you can't talk! I'll come visit you later at the hospital!" The scrolls tightened, then they rolled up, leaving Iruka on the ground. Pulling a mask over my head, I looked up to see 5 shadows leaping down from the trees.

" We have you now! Come with us." The Hokage glared at me before noticing that Iruka lay at my feet. " Iruka!" She turned her attention to him while I ran for it. Three ANBU guards began their chase.

" Let's see how they like to play with my earth clone ANBU. Shika-san liked them." Three figures rose, one wearing a frog mask, another a crow mask, and the last one a rabbit mask. " Take them down." They nodded and I jumped into the trees. This was not what I had in mind at all. First: paralyze Iruka, Second: Haul his ass home Third: KILL HIM.

" This poison…I don't know what it is." Tsunade rolled up her sleeves ready to try and see how much of the toxin she could get out. Her hands flared up with chakra, warm and soft as she placed her hands on his chest. For a second, the toxin moved and then it stopped. Iruka tensed up before he relaxed, but not in relief. If he had a voice it would have registered pure pain. Her hands jerked away in realization that she only made things worse. What ever this toxin was, it reacted negatively with chakra. There came a cracking sound and from the ground burst the earth ANBU holding the beaten human ANBU. They tossed them like rag dolls and one handed a scroll to Tsunade before they crumbled to the ground.

Seeing that is was safe, the Hokage broke the seal and read the ever famous note.

_Poison of choice,_

_Flowing through the body,_

_Just even a bit of chakra,_

_Kills from the inside out._

_He only has a few hours…_

Iruka was rushed to the hospital, and Naruto was brought before the Hokage.

" Naruto." He hands were folded neatly in front of her. " I need to move you from Iruka's house. You can't stay there."

" Why? Where's Iruka-sensei? He was suppose to meet me for dinner."

" Naruto…" She stood up and walked towards Naruto. Placing a warm hand on his head, she told him what had happened. All the deaths, what had happened. Everything. During the time, Naruto sat still, all color draining from his face.

" Naruto…do you understand?"

He didn't reply.

" Naruto…" She pulled him into a hug as he still was in shock.

" Baa-san…why are they attacking them? They never did anything to me."

" I know…that's why, starting now, you will stay by my side…I can take care of my self. Let's go visit Iruka, okay?" They walked down to the hospital. Iruka was on the fourth floor.

" Iruka-sensei?" Naruto's voice was not at all like his usual hyper voice.

" He's asleep. We are trying to find an antidote. But, I'm afraid that he might not live."

" Is there anything you can do? What about chakra?"

" It speeds up the toxin…I never had to deal with this before. Naruto, I know how much you love Iruka, he love you too. It was the purest type of love, fatherly love. Today…he had signed the documents to be your adoptive father. You would have been his son."

Tears poured out of his eyes as he looked at the sleeping figure of Iruka. His father? Just today?

" He had worked on the papers for a long time…since three years ago. Even if it's for the shortest time, he is your father…"

" Ir-Otou-san…" Slipping his hands into Iruka's he made a promise. " I'll find out who did this to you." It must have been his imagination, but he felt Iruka's hand move. " Otou-san."

Tsunade looked on and smiled. They looked like a real family. So together. He reluctantly left, telling his father that he would come back later. The rest of the day, the two spent fighting about little things.

Stream of people came in to see their beloved Iruka, under supervision of course. Kakashi spent every single second of every single day in there. He watched over him like a guardian angel. Flowers piled up in his room after inspection, all his students sent in letters and card. The whole town had turned out to help their fallen loved shinobi. Naruto constantly joined Kakashi, and they both agreed that something had to be done. Then under the full moon, something devastating something.

Nurse came running, medical nins were rushing towards his room.. The poison had run it's course.

" Call in the Hokage!"

" He was just fine yesterday! Check all connections, check his god damn IV!" They pulled the IV out and ran tests. Traces of the make shift antidotes were found and the liquid that was being administered to him. His heart beat was slowing down. As the Hokage ran in, the Medical nins looked up and shook there heads.

" Baa-san?" It was Naruto.

" Naruto! Go back to bed!"

" Wha's going on? Is Iruka better?" He rubbed the sleepiness from his eyes. Medical nins and Nurse gave him a small pity look. They walked out, leaving only the three. Hokage tired to break it as softly as she could, but in the end, she had to give him a sleeping tea. Once again, the village has lost another member.

Forgive me Naruto, but I can not control myself. Forgive me! Please forgive this love crazed soul.

Yang-chan: (sobbing in the corner) Gomen! Forgive me Iruka!

Iruka: (rubbing his neck) You didn't have to make me just sleep the whole time.

Yang-chan: IRUKA! (glomp) Forgive me! I promise that in my next fic, you'll get your happy ending! WHAAA!

Iruka: It's okay, can I go? I have a meeting with Kakashi.

Yang-chan: Go! Have fun! DON'T LET HIM HET YOU IN HIS BED!

Iruka: Shut up!

Yang-chan: I know I'm gonna get some flames…I'll handle it. I know I will… I think. Note: I will be updating once a week. Maybe less if I can get things done on time. Thank you.


	7. Scarecrow

Disclaimer: This is the last time that I will say this! I DO NOT OWN NARUTO! If I did then…I'd be rich!

_**Mine Alone**_

_A Yang Production_

The village had poured out onto the streets, marching towards the Hokage building. Angry parents held onto their children, all tensed, suspecting one another. They yelled out for the Hokage and she appeared with Naruto behind her. His presence only upset the people further.

" We need this person caught! NOW!" They all yelled.

" We are doing the best we can! Leave this in our hand."

" No! Iruka was one of the best and thanks to that brat…" Their eyes gave off and intense hatred. "…he's now dead!" Murmurs turned to angry yells.

" Give that brat to the murderer! Not our children!" Someone stood on a statue close by. Before anyone could say or do anything, they launched an arrow at Naruto. Hatred now drove the crowd, no reasoning could get through to them. Tsunade spun and tried to grab the arrow, and missed by mere inches.

Birds took to the skies as I grabbed it, the tip right at Naruto's forehead. With one hand I snapped it in two. Through the slits in my mask I saw Naruto's pale face, contrasting terribly with my black cloak. The Hokage must have ordered the ANBU to 'arrest' me, since they were heading our way with Kakashi, in full rage, as lead. I ran forward, breaking the formation. Someone in a rabbit mask tried to attack me from behind, but I jumped and struck him and another with a mid-air kick. Their mask cracked and shattered. Once I landed I raced forward, two more masked ANBU chasing me as if I was a mouse. The bastard that tried to kill Naruto fell from his spot, and I grabbed him by the back of his shirt. He carried with him another arrow.

" May I borrow this?" I took the arrow and placed it into the launch. It flew straight, and managed to hit one in the face, the other fell back to help his fallen comrade. " Now, bastard, I will make one thing clear…do not harm Naruto. Do you understand?" His head nodded. " Good, now be a dear and take this note to Hokage." I patted him on the back and let him drop to the ground from the branch that I happen to land on. " Hurry!"

_Hokage-sama-_

_Let this be a notice, do not let Naruto out. KEEP HIM SAFE! Had I not passed by surely he would have died. If any form of harm comes to Naruto, the village of Konoha will burn to the skies and you will hear the cries of the dying._

The man that brought in the note shifted his weight from foot to foot. Once the Hokage had read the note, he was escorted by two guards to the holding cell. She leaned back in her chair only to hear a loud BOOM outside her office. The wall flew in, splattering bits and pieces of plaster and blood. The man lay dead on the floor with the two guards wounded, but not dead. A big gaping hole stared back at her, the whole sky and the village below was visible. Coughing from the dust that was settling, she rose and rushed to attend the fallen two. Thank goodness that Naruto was being taken care of by Kakashi and the rest of the younger Shinobi's.

_Make sure that you always finish the job._

" SENSEI!" Some obnoxious voice rang in his head.

" What is it Naruto?"

" I've been trying to get your attention for the past half hour. I have to ask you something."

" Go ahead, though I might not answer."

" Did you and Iruka have a special relationship?" This threw Kakashi for a loop, and unprepared he did the next best thing: He fell into the river.

" SENEI!"

" I'm fine…That's kinda private, don't you think?"

" You're the pervert and your talking about private?"

" Never mind…Iruka was a special friend of mine." Ya know 'special'.

Who should show up but the one, the only, Uchiha Sasuke! He coolly walked over and stared at a dripping wet Kakashi.

" What prank did you play on Kakashi-sensei?"

" Nothing! I swear…hey what's that?" Naruto, who never learned that pointing is rude, pointed to the red welt underneath Sasuke's right eye.

" Nothing!" He snapped.

" Both of you! Let go to the forest, you need to refine your chakra skills. Climb trees!" He ushered his two bickering students wondering how Sakura was able to keep these two from killing each other. Birds chirped happily as they entered the forest and many other creatures scurried about. Naruto already was set to begin his tree and Sasuke thought it ridiculous to do a skill that he already knew. Distracted by his Come Come Paradise book, Kakashi walked around in a circle, strolling in remembrance of his better days. Here he had told Iruka that he was madly in love with him and Iruka remembering that it was April 1st shrugged it off as a joke. It wasn't until Kakashi had pinned Iruka to a tree and kissed him that Iruka realized that he wasn't joking. Both of them admitted to long buried feelings, and they became a secret couple. Lost in thought Kakashi wandered off, leaving his two students.

Sasuke let himself fall from the tree, and landed nimbly on the ground below. He had seen Kakashi walk off and he was intrigued as to where he was going.

" Sasuke! Where the hell do you think you're going?" Naruto clung to the tree branch.

" Somewhere…Stay here, I'll be back." Running after his Sensei, he left Naruto alone.

Copy-cat…copy-cat…copy-cat…Kakashi. They were the same thing. He left himself open deep in thought.

" Copy-cat Kakashi…" I called out, still draped in the same outfit I had on earlier with the exception of a new bushy tail…Naruto was a fox so I wanted to copy him. He looked up from his perverted book of his, took one look and stood in front of me. He was taller up close.

" YOU!" He grabbed me by my neck and pushed me up against a tree. " What the hell do you want now!"

" You." I swung up my legs so they rested on his chest and pushed. His grip loosened and I dropped to the ground on all four. Two feet were great, but when you had to move extremely quickly, use all four. Not even up from the ground, I loomed over him. " Kakashi…you're slow." Grabbing his right arm, I threw him up. I never noticed that he had revealed his Sharingan eye. Flashbacks of a certain tasty dead weasel flooded my brain. Two scrolls flew into my hands and they lashed out, binding Kakashi. My arms could barely wrap themselves around his waist. " Let's see what this will do to you." Using the momentum I had gathered, I flipped us upside down. We began our spiral decedent to the solid ground below. I had to let go at the right moment…HERE! I unlocked my arms and let him crash into the ground. Falling to my knees, I tried to get my breath back. Someone tapped me and I foolishly turned. A foot made contact with my chin, sending me into the air, Strips of cloth snaked around me, trapping me. The ever famous Kakashi wrapped HIS hands around MY waist. Blood trickled from his head, but his eyes held no sign of being tired.

" Time to reply the favor!" I never let an emotion cross my face as I watched the ground rush towards me, and I was helpless. His arms were no longer present and the ground burst open as my body reached it.

Dust rose in a great big cloud over the open wound of the earth. That move had taken a bit out of the Sharingan user, more than he had expected. Lee had made it seem so simple…well at least a bit less painful. _Please with that die. _Hands gripped the edge of the crater, and a mound of earth rose up.

He was smart, Kakashi was. I had to give him some credit. My earth clones helped cushion the fall, and they helped my get out. A tall column of earth rose like a giant snake. " You're good Kakashi…" I smirked while I wiped the blood from my cut lip. " Real good." Underneath the mask I could tell that the pervert was grinning as he mimicked my hand seals, and brought out his own Earth Dragon. Finishing at the same time, our dragons collided, sending earthy sand through the air. I couldn't see and then something came running out of the smoke, Kakashi, his hand blazing with the Chidori. The ground was torn apart from the chakra he held in his hand. I began my hand seals, to bring up my earth clone. His attack killed my clone with one hit, but I was able to dodge it.

" Thanks for the help." Breaking off the chunk of dirt that held his hand captive, he performed my own seals, and two earth clones appeared next to him. This is what I wanted. Closing my eyes, I brought two fingers to rest on my mask while I collected Chakra. A hole appeared underneath his feet, and it swallowed him whole. A sphere of dirt was attached to the ground. The clones disappeared as the earth had sealed within it his chakra.

" Like my new trick?" The earth was nice and cool underneath my hand. " It took a long time to figure out how to contain something inside it." Was that his Chidori roaring inside? A hand stuck out from the earth, close to my face. " I wouldn't do that." My hands closed slowly and his Chidori fizzed out. " You can't see, you can't move, you can't do anything!"

" Why Iruka!"

" Iruka? Oh yes…I heard about him. Died in his sleep. Isn't it better that way? No pain."

" He never hurt Naruto!"

" True. I thought I would never have to raise my hand against sensei."

" Don't call him sensei you brat!"

" Kakashi…I didn't know you cared! I was hoping that Iruka would never had to die. He was the only one who was decent to Naruto. Then you came and treated Naruto with respect. You two make a lovely couple." Closing my hands even more, the sphere began to shrink. " In ten minutes you will suffocate. I wish you luck in your next life, I bless your relationship with Iruka. Say hello to him on the other side." The sphere sank down to the ground and I planted a flag with that stupid face that he painted on his little Nin dogs, which were all drugged and asleep. " Pleasant love…it hurts. It really hurts."

_**Love without you hurts,**_

_**To the point of dying.**_

_**I'm fragile without you,**_

_**Will I survive the end?**_

_Like hell he did._

Naruto had exhausted himself to the point of passing out cold on the ground. Birds sat on top of him like he was any old stump on the ground. A figure appeared and scared away them all away. Slumping to the ground Sasuke panted, tired from what ever he had done. In this state, Naruto was so calm, so vulnerable. Blood rose to Sasuke's pale cheeks, and he felt the urge to reach out and brush away those strand of hair from Naruto's face. He did just that. Feeling his skin against his sent a jolt throughout his body, something that he never felt with any one else. He reposition himself so that he sat near Naruto, bending over to hover above his face. Raven hair cascaded down and gently brushed against the tan skin. Onyx black eyes closed as he closed the gap between their faces. For the first time in many long tiresome lonely years Sasuke kissed someone. It was not just anyone, no that would make the kiss meaning less. He had been denying it and he will continue to deny it: He was falling in love with the biggest loud mouth, the dumbest of all blondes, the most hyper of hyperactive humans, the one person that haunted his dreams and the one that he longed to see everyday. But hey, for now it wouldn't hurt to give into these feelings right? Just this one little kiss and everything would go back to being as how it was, a love/hate relationship. He was the heartthrob of the village, but for now he was some love struck fool. He Uchiha Sasuke was in love. It took a sleeping Naruto to show him. It took him many years and many months to melt the ice that surrounded his heart.

" Dobe…Naruto." He broke the kiss but still kept their face only inches apart, " Why are you doing this to me? You idiot."

"mhnm?" The blonde sat upright looking around before jumping to his feet upon seeing Sasuke leaning against a tree with his arms neatly folded across his chest. " Hah! I bet your old record! Where the hell did you go?" Scratches were covering the visible skin that Naruto could see. There was a small patch of dried blood on Sasuke's forehead. " What did you do to your self!" Naruto begun to dig into he pouch and brought out some bandages. " You're gonna kill yourself if you don't take care of yourself!" He motioned for Sasuke to join him on the ground. The bandages were tied tautly against the million fresh scratches. " Look at this! You could have scars from these cuts!" A long healing cut was seen just above his headprotector. " THIS COULD HAVE KILLED YOU!"

" Why do you care? Then you could beat me."

" You can't die!"

" Why not?"

Why not exactly? Why had Naruto begun to worry over Sasuke when he could have attacked him and beaten him?

" Because! Leave those on for a little bit okay?"

" How do you know so much about injuries?"

"I was beat and bullied. Everyday I would show up bruised and I felt ashamed. I didn't have someone at home so I had to learn to cure myself. Iruka was the only one who really showed me everything. You know those times that I told you I had tripped and showed up with those thick bandages? That day when you asked me about what happened? "

" Why are you just telling me now! If I knew I would have come hurriedly to help you!"

" You did and you were almost killed…or don't you remember?"

That explains those odd dreams that plagued him. Naruto was knocked out in a pool of his own blood and Sasuke…he just stood there too weak to do anything.

" I'm sorry Naruto! I'm not as strong as I thought." He reached out with one good hand to comfort his comrade. Darkness over took him and he woke up in the hospital.

" I promise that no one will touch my precious people…"

Why didn't he realize then that things would turn out like this? Things were starting to get carried away.

" Let's get you back home." Naruto watched as Sasuke simply stood up as if nothing was wrong and headed towards the village.

_**Official Report**_

**_The body of Kakashi was found about 150 feet below the surface. Suffocation was the mode of death. It is the same killer. We did find two interesting object, a gold key and found with the body a stuffed dolphin. We are not sure of what the key opens or why a dolphin was with Kakashi. Kakashi in now the 7th of many unsolved murders. The same confusing notes were found._**

_**You and I are not guilty**_

_**But we are vulnerable**_

_**It's the way of life,**_

_**For what do I live for?**_

_They live so they may die, Hokage-sama._

_Remember that!_

Like a shadow that even in light is always there I stand over this village, always trying to keep betrayers out. Have you come to wonder exactly what a betrayer is? Of course, it is anyone who harms or tries to touch Naruto, in a way killing him. Like those kids that hate him for no valid reason. Like I once did too.

* * *

Yang-chan: It took a while but I was able to write up this chapter. The pervert Kakashi died. But Iruka! I'm so sorry! You'll get your revenge in the end!

Ferret: Quit whining!

Yang-chan: I'm still so upset…oh! To Bloody Cross, WELCOME TO THE CLUB! Where do you think I came up with getting drunk off tea? Hehehe…All form of tea has been taken away from me….at least that's what they think! (holds a disguised can of tea) Yes! GO TEA! WHOO!

Ferret: Excuse her, she hasn't had any tea yet. You should see her when she has tea, one time she woke up in a pink prom dress (hates dresses) and full fledge make-up and she couldn't remember what happened.

Yang-chan: FERRET! That was suppose to be a secret! Anyway, (gets on knees and bows deeply) Please review!


	8. Butterfly

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto…I just own some stupid stuffed ferret. That is all.

_**Mine Alone**_

_A Yang Production_

" How could you!" He cried at me.

" I did it all for you!" My answer did little to please him.

" You killed them…you killed Sakura-chan…" His body shook with sobs. I ran to him and tried to hold him. His head protector clattered to the floor and his cloths drifted as I held only dust. The soft texture fell from my open hands swiftly and I desperately clawed the air in an attempt to gather it. Staring dumbfounded at my hands, a long ragged breath came from behind me. A chill ran up my spine as I shakily turned. My precious angel's eyes held an intense hatred and lust to kill. His face no longer that kind look, it was filled with sadness…and tears streamed steadily down his face.

" I could have loved you…" Hands reached out from behind him, bloody and mutilated arms…the heads and upper torso of the ones who I had killed…they stood before me, hate filled eyes…glaring at me. They held me down as I screamed to Naruto not to leave. His back to me, he left into the darkness still repeating, " I could have loved you." My anguished filled screams echoed as they set themselves upon me to deal out revenge…and I woke up. I was covered in cold sweat, my blankets and clothes soaked. My breath came in short gaps as I tried to steady my heart beat. Crap…I thought while clamping my twitching hands together in a failed attempt to stop them. I could still feel them moving as I placed them on my forehead.

" Just a dream…Just a fucked up dream." That was it, nothing more. The dead were buried and there was no way in hell that they could come back. Right?

In the other side of town, a pleasantly chubby shinobi shoved potato chips into his mouth. Stress made him hungry…well breathing made him hungry but that was beside the point. His cell mates were no longer with him and his sensei was off on the case. Most upper level Shinobi were called to investigate leaving few to help with cells and missions. His best friend had been killed a few weeks ago and the murderer was still loose on the village which stressed him out even more that he now was. The bag crinkled as he reached in to find a emptiness.

" No!" In frustration he threw the bag on the ground and walked to the nearest open vendor which happen to be where Naruto was eating his Ramen. Not saying a word, Choji slipped next to Naruto and ordered a reasonable amount of Ramen, 8 bowls to begin with. Warmth spread through out his body and he let out a sigh that he had not realized that he had been holding in for the longest time. Food was a comfort for him, one that he needed badly in such a dire situation. Now if only food was available every 3 feet then things would be go-

" CHOJI!" The voice made his jerk forward and spill a precious amount of his Ramen. Two blue orbs stared at him…Naruto.

" What?"

" You do know that you've been chewing the napkin and not the Ramen?"

Choji looked down and little scraps of paper were held between his chopsticks. No wonder the Ramen tasted so paperish.

" Thanks…"

" Choji…take it easy." Naruto ordered another bowl only to be turned down since Choji had order most of the Ramen available for that shop. Crestfallen, Naruto paid what he owed and whirled around in his stool. " Take it easy , the ramen isn't going any were. Well see ya around." Choji only nodded as he continued to eat. Through each bite flashes of memories crept up. There was Ino and Shikamaru arguing about a plan…there was Ino and Shikamaru arguing again about laziness…them arguing AGAIN about Choji's eating habits. He smiled at the memories. Even thought they argued most of the time, almost everyone could tell that they liked each other.

" Hey kid." The shop owner poked him snapping him out of his little happiness. " Um…as much as I like a good costumer, you gonna be able to pay all that?" The bill was pressed under his nose and Choji felt the heat rise in his cheek. It would take all his week's food money ( which is no small amount) just to pay all this. After paying his bill, he stood outside, penniless and foodless.

" WHAT DOES A SHINOBI NEED TO DO TO GET FOOD AROUND HERE!"

" Hey, Choji…Let me guess, you wasted all your week's food money eating your weight in whatever because you can't stop thinking about THEM."

His eyes scanned the area in front of him and I wished I had something big and blunt with me.

" Choji…behind you."

" It's you."

" The one and only. Hungry?" His stomach let out a small gurgle. I rummaged into my scroll bag and pulled out a bag of Chips. " Here. I was going to the river front to have a light lunch but I think I might have packed too much."

" Want some company?"

" Why not? Eating alone can become tiresome after a while."

I pushed along and reached the river that stood only a bit outside the village. It was tranquil, silent and untouched. Perfect.

" Choji, won't you help me eat this? I really made too much…sometimes I forget that I cook for one." I opened the containers and pushed them towards him. Not needing another clue, he started to eat. Watching him eat gave me a sense of satisfaction, knowing that someone was happy for what I did. Cooking has become harder, I can remember Kaa-san preparing breakfast for Oto-san and I. She'd smile and ask what I was going to learn at the Academy. Oto-san would shoot out random questions to see if I was ready for the exams. Then they both would walk with me to the Academy. (I was young then of course) On the way we would see Naruto. I glared at him like my parents had. I had no idea why they hated him and I began to hate him. Then I was alone and I found comfort in Naruto because he knew what it was like to be alone. We were perfect for each other.

" This is really good!" Choji exclaimed as he wolfed down the mushroom soup and picked up some fish that I had fried just that morning.

" I'm glad you like it Choji. It's a special meal. Kaa-san would make it sometimes." He nodded and I continued talking. " She'd go out and pick the mushrooms fresh form the garden and Oto-san would come back from the market with fresh fish. I would peel the carrots and hand them to Kaa-san. She knew how to prepare everything just right."

" Did you ever try?"

" Twice."

" Why twice?"

" The first time…I killed the family dog."

At this Choji stopped eating and he grew pale. His breathing became shallow and his hands trembled slightly.

" And the second time…well you should know Choji-san. You're eating the second batch. If you don't know what kind of mushrooms you need, you'll get the poison ones. Puffer fish need to be cut by someone who has a vast knowledge of the fish or you'll poison yourself. Hemlock can be mistaken for a whitish carrot and well…Ino must have explained to you at sometime what hemlock is." A smile graced my face as Choji crawled to the river.

" You…"

I nodded. Taking the back of his shirt, I pulled and tossed him against a tree. He landed with a thud on the ground. " Choji…did you enjoy your meal?" He didn't respond and picked himself up. " It's a shame that I had to finish my task like this." He made some sad gasping sound, like someone was choking him.

" Scarves are very hazardous…you never know if it might get tired around some tree and you'll hang…you'll try to get free and you'll fail." A shadow clone had finished wrapping the two ends of the white scarf around a thick and high tree branch. The white cloth bound Choji's chubby neck, closing an pathway for air to reach his lungs. He brought both hands to his neck, pulling…tugging to get free.

" The poison is to make sure that if you don't die from this, you'll die from that." Again came the gasping sound. His breathing was ragged now. His eyes growing dim but still glimmering with hope. They were like his eyes. My hands began to shake uncontrollably.

" Damn it! Not now!" I hissed. Without really thinking, I set the remains of the food on fire and dashed away leaving Choji's body to sway in the wind.

Tsunade had to put Naruto to sleep after what had happened. He had decided to walk along the river and turning a bend he saw Choji hanging from a tree with his scarf wrapped tightly around his neck. Naruto was at a loss for what to do, he sent on of his shadow clones to contact Tsunade. When she arrived, he was on the ground muttering something to himself, all color drained from his face. ANBU arrived and took the body, leaving Naruto under her care. When her hand made contact with his shoulder, Naruto snapped. He latched to her arm and cried that it was his fault. That everyone dieing was his fault. It would have been better if he died. He didn't want to see anyone else get hurt. It was his fault. It was his fault…his fault.

A knock at her door tore her eyes from the window.

" Come in."

" Hokage-sama. We did not find any note in the area. However this letter was delivered via Raven." The guard reported and held out a pale yellow letter. She dismissed him and proceed to read the letter. What sick little poem did they write this time? To her surprise, the whole sheet only contained three words.

_I AM SORRY_

The handwriting was jagged and smudged. There were long awkward lines…the beginning of words in the middle of the mess of ink and smudges. These were not the same bold straight lines that the murderer had used…they were shaky and uneven as if they had no control over their hand.

" You're beginning to crumble…and I'll be the one to topple you over." She placed the letter with the others and pulled out a new sheet of paper and began to write. Tsunade needed more help and she knew the three Shinobi's that would help her. Calling in the guard, she handed him the letter.

" Send this to the Kazekage."

" Yes Hokage-sama." And he did as he was told.

I lay huddled near my bed, my head nestled in the blanket. My hands lay trembling at my side. What the fuck is happening to me! Peering up, I say a note that had Sakura's scrawl on it. My hands twitched at the sight. Shifting, I turned to look at my nightstand. In a vase was a yellow Buttercup from Ino's flower shop. Both hands twitched more. Shaking my head, I sat straight up and stared at the wall in front of me. A picture of Shikamaru and I playing a game of Go before anything had happened. Almost immediately upon setting my eyes on the photo, my hands began to tremble.

"NO!" Getting to my feet I pulled open a drawer and rummaged inside to find something to keep my hand busy. A thick piece of paper rested at my fingertips. It was the Academy Report. Next to it was the small book that Kakashi had lent me. Slamming the drawer shut I paced around my room, wringing my hands until I set my eyes on a small scrap of paper. It was the recipe that Choji had given me to try so he could eat it. The wind blew leaves against my window and I jumped. There were whispers around me.

" SHUT UP!" I shouted. I took the scrap and tore it to shred. Opening the drawer, I pulled it from it's place and tossed it to the ground. The wood splintered sending the paper fluttering around. With my trembling hands I tossed everything off my nightstand, the vase shattering, spewing water everywhere. The ink from Sakura's note smeared and the writing was not longer visible against the wet paper. The picture of Shika was thrown among the other papers. Like a wild animal not used to a cage, I tore at the walls, leaving huge gaps in the walls, tearing off the wallpaper, shredding my blankets and pillow. My bed was the last thing that was ripped apart and thrown useless into the pile that was already at my feet. My room was no longer my room, it was hell. Grabbing my mask and cloak, I ran out from the house.

By the time I had reached my safe house dark clouds were overhead, thunder roared and rain was pouring heavily. Fumbling in the darkness, I realized that my key was gone. I must have dropped somewhere. Luckily no one knew about it. Thank goodness that I always keep a spare incase something like this happened. Reached underneath a rock I pulled a silver key out and unlocked the door. The rain made a soft pitter patter sound on the roof and it calmed me down a bit. Water dripped from my clothes and hair leaving a puddle on the floor. Collecting myself, I reached out and took the lead pipe that I had found outside a few days ago. It was heavy in my hand, but when I stood in front of that wall I knew what I had to do. Bits of clay struck my face as the wall came down. Five containers stood on the shelves. I had to end it now! The contents spilled to the ground as I tore down the secret compartment.

" I had to kill you! You betrayers! You filthy bitches! I hope you rot in hell!" Even when I had finished and the compartment lay in ruins I did not stop from raising the pipe and bringing it down on their parting gift that they had left me. Finally after many minutes of this, I stopped and let my self fall to the ground. Outside the thunder roared louder and lighting streaked across the sky. As I lay on the cold wet floor contemplating my dilemma the most unthinkable happened. Lighting struck my little house. The roof and the tree branches nearby quickly caught on fire. Tired, I wondered if I should just die right here and right now. Making my decision, I rolled out of the way of a flaming support that had fallen. The items I had thrown around were staring to blaze. Breaking a window to my left, I crawled out. My lungs were grateful for the fresh clean air. Looking back, my project and hobby went up in smoke. The trees crackled and snapped. My cloths and hair smelled like smoke. I fled from the scene, the ANBU would be there soon and so would be the Hokage. I can not let her get me. Never. I swear.

Yang-chan: So that's that! Please review! Arigato! (bow)


	9. Samurai

_**Mine Alone**_

_A Yang Production_

The smell of burnt hair hung heavily in the air. Every few seconds sparks burst out in a feeble attempt to live again. Broken bowls were scattered everywhere. People surrounded the area as the Hokage looked around. Her foot made contact with something. Bending down the sun reflected off the jagged edge of the broken mask. Little whisker marks were etched in the cheek area.

" I want this place taped off! No one can enter unless they have my seal!" The guards nodded. Her fingers touched the delicate material and it crumbled to the earth from which it came from.

_Dust to dust…_

_Ashes to ashes…_

The words echoed in her mind. Flashes of the victims passed through her like sand in a hour glass…they were there for a second or two but surely as time moves, they left. Once they were human, able to move and be touched and held, but now you can't see them anymore. You can't hold the moving air. You can't touch that which is no longer there.

" If it cost me my life, I will kill you myself! I don't want to lose any one else from this village."

On the other side, Naruto sat underneath an cherry tree, his head hung in disgrace. There were scrapes on his precious face, his knuckles raw from beating a tree that now lay splintered. Shuffle of feet reached his ears and he jumped to attention. Rocks were heading towards him, some reaching the target.

" DEMON!" So younger kid called out.

" It's your fault Iruka-sensei died!" An academy student called.

" Why didn't you die instead?" Two kids cried out.

" YOU SHOULD HAVE DIED INSTEAD OF THEM!" The rocks became bigger and heavier. Naruto did all he could to shield himself but the truth hurt so much more than those rocks. Tiny needle like feet crawled over him, blackness engulfed him, and the rocks had stopped.

" What are children like you doing out here without and adult?" A calm and collected voice asked. " You kids better hurry home, my bugs might get hungry." In Naruto's mind something clicked. SHINO!

" You don't scare us…watch your back or we'll get you too!" The children scampered off. Light reached Naruto's eyes as the shield vanished into Shino's sleeve.

" Don't be caught off guard Naruto. You might get far worse injuries." Shino held out some gauze from the Mini First Aid kit that he dragged with him. " I'm surprised that you didn't just strike some pose and scare them off." This got a smile in response. " What has happened to you lately? Are you really gonna listen to those kids and drown in your depression?"

" It's true…"

" What is?"

" I killed them, I killed everyone of them. I don't deserve to live anymore. If I had died instead of them, then everyone would be so much happier. If I had died then no one would have to stare at me with those cold eyes. If I was dead then no one would suffer! IF I WAS DEAD-"

_**SLAP!**_

Shino's hand stung after making contact with Naruto's face. " Don't you say that. You couldn't help it. You didn't know that they would have died. If they could see you now they would beat the living crap out of you. I know right now I want to." Bugs crawled froth threatenly.

" Shino, stay away…I kill everyone I touch."

" Naruto…we all die someday…some more curler than others. But I'm gonna fight this with everything I have. I'm going to confess something to you that I have never told anyone else. I loved Sakura."

" NANI?"

" Yes. Now, I want to avenge her death."

" But they killed Iruka-sensei and Kakashi-sensei! You can't stand against them!"

" Like I said, I'm going to fight them with everything I got. Even if I have to dip these hands into a friends blood. Naruto, be careful with who you make contact with. Someone you think of as a friend is going to betray you." At this Shino lowered his voice to a whisper and leaned closer to Naruto. " I figured out everything. I should have know from the start. Be careful. They are just starting, they are mentally unstable. If we don't stop them…they will kill you."

" Wh-what are you talking about Shino?"

" Just like I said Naruto. Come on, we need to get you home. Stay at home." As he dragged Naruto behind him, a pale figure clad in black with a little paper fan leaned against a tree in support. Cold eyes narrowed. Their lips moved but no one could hear what they were saying.

He had dragged my precious Naruto far enough. My body moved awkwardly with each step that I took.

" ACHOO!"

" Are you sick Naruto?"

" No…at least I hope not. How is Hinata? She came down with a fever I heard. Sasuke was the first one that got whatever is going around. He's still sick and down with a fever also."

" To be truthful, I have gone. With that fever, I could get it."

_Forgive me for attacking in such a horrid state. _I silently prayed while lifting two fingers to my newly made mask. The earth shook violently, splitting and opening, separating the two friends from each other. I winced as my elevated fever grabbed hold of me. _I have to focus, FOCUS. _Two earth dragons burst out the ground, catching both by surprise.

" Naruto! Get out of here. Alert the Hokage. Tell them that- " My hand clamped tightly over their mouth.

" Not another word…" I felt the paper underneath my hand wrap tightly around his mouth, sealing his words in his mouth. Only upon death would it ever come off. " I can't have you spoiling my fun now." Before I knew it, I was on my hands and knees, my fever gripping my body again.

" What the hell did you put on him!" He strained to pull off the seal that I placed on Shino. " Tell me and I won't kill you!"

" Kill me? Naruto-kun…you always were the joker. How can you kill me? I'm already dead…but I can live if you want me to."

" Wh-what?"

" Isn't it great? They won't hurt you anymore. Their words won't slice through you, their words are silence. They are dead." My hands were outstretched and they were dripping with bright red blood.

" Who are you talking abou-NO!" All color had drained from his face. Images of children taunting him with rocks and words appeared. " THEY WERE JUST KIDS!"

" But they hurt you!" I walked slowly towards them. Shino, noticing that I was staggering, rushed forward. " STAY OUT OF MY WAY!" My dragons roared as they tackled him and bound him. " Naruto…they hurt you. I can't see the scars but I know they are there. Inside. Your spirit is breaking." I gently touched his cheek. He felt so nice and cool compared to me. " Why don't you come with me? I can take you some place safe, somewhere warm and comforting. Don't you want someone to love you for all you are?" I took both hands in mine, covering them in the blood. " You killed them Naruto. You made me kill them. I heard what Shino told you earlier. Don't you believe him." I leaned forward and whispered something to him.

I'm so sorry Naruto. You must leave this village. I will destroy it. I will burn it to the ground. All in your name because you are my will…you are my reason to live.

Something came between us. A wall built from bugs. At the sight of them my head burst with pain. The sickness that kept so many in bed at the moment had made me one of it's victims. But I could still beat Shino and his bugs. First though, I must regain my sense of balance.

" Still trying to fight for a lost cause? Let me take Naruto. I will let you live." He flipped me off. " Fine!" The cloth from my cloak became covered in his filthy bugs as I shield myself. Inside, I tried to catch my breath. I couldn't keep up the dragons any longer. I heard a thud…no two. Naruto had fallen too! Kept in the darkness, I did not see Shino come at me until his fist had made contact with my face. My body was shutting down. I could barely push myself up on my arms after impacting with the ground.

" You…are good." Blood dribbled underneath my mask. " You even drew blood." Both of his hands were outstretched, palm side down, with his bugs crawling around. He was ready to let them devourer my chakra. " Shino, did you know that I always hated you? I don't care that we came from the same academy or the fact that we once fought together. I always hated you and your bugs. You could figure things out with them, uncover information that was never suppose to learned by anyone else. You know who I am. I can't let you go tell anyone." 5 thin needles slipped into my hands from my sleeves and I threw them. " You tried to send your little pets to warn the Hokage. I left her a little note to come here. You won't miss those bugs will you?" His body quivered and I knew that I had hit all 5 targets. " Now, if these bugs were to attack me like they are doing right now…" They swarmed towards me.

"…who is left to watch your back?" I whispered into his ears with spreading a powder into the air. The bugs stopped in it's tracks. Taking out a small knife, I cut my wrist, spread the blood on a blank scroll, formed my own unique hand seal and muttered the transfer justu.

" From Blood to Blood,

From Flesh to Flesh,

From Life to Life,

Transfer!"

I felt my own chakra leaving, leaving me weak. My Advance Kage Buushin had disappeared into a puff of smoke.

" _Our chakra is uniquely made for ourselves only. That is why it is recommended to use the minimal amount when working in the Medicine field." Iruka-sensei said._

" _But what happened when you use too much?"_

" _You will faint and the person that you were transferring chakra to will most likely die."_

" I will not kill you like this. Your own bugs will. That powder has blocked all commands from you. The only thing the obey right now is that last command you sent them, to devour MY chakra. However if we were to compare my chakra, you will see that your entire body is bursting with it and I am not even sensed by them. Would they rather have you, bursting with the chakra that you asked them to devour or me, who is barely readable to them?" The transfer had stopped and I stood shakily. The swarm of his _faithful _bugs descended on him. In vain he tried to control them but they could not understand his command, this only agitated them even more. They blinded him, and began to eat at him.

I jerked forward and hacked up blood. I had used to much chakra.

" SHINO-SAN!" Oh crap. The Hokage got here earlier than I had expected her to. Her face was filled with rage as she tried to land a punch on me. Moving slowly, I made my way to where Naruto was. A paper fluttered down to where I was, the Silence Parchment. It burst into green flames and scattered itself to the four winds, taking with it the truth.

" The sound of silence is the best." I turned to the Hokage with a limp Naruto in my arms. " You never have to hear those children mocking Naruto and you Hokage-sama have the pleasure of having to figure out who I am by yourself. Shino was smart…he knew. He must have figure it out by the time Shika had been killed. He must have doubted. He must have wished he was wrong. He must have wanted the truth to be purged from his memory. I granted him that and now I have silenced him. Choji, he too was figuring it out...but he was not as fast as Shino. Shino was plotting to turn me in when he could get the proof. Now, I will vanish Hokage. I will be taking Naruto with me. He doesn't deserve to be treated as a demon. Can't you all see him as the angel he is? Don't you see that halo?"

" You sick bastard!"

" Thank you. I know that you want to kill me. I can see it in your eyes. But what if you hurt Naruto? Do you want to risk hurting you successor? He would have made a fine Hokage."

" He still will!" Sand surrounded me and bound me. A soft mound caught Naruto as he fell from my arms.

" Hello Gaara, Temari, Kankuro. What brings you here?" I knew the trade mark sand of the One Tailed Demon. I didn't need eyes in the back of my head to know who it was.

" I have come to add your blood to my sand." Gaara held out his hand and squeezed just a bit more. " Hello Hokage. Do you want to kill them or should I?"

" This is for everyone that you killed. For all the blood that had to be spilled." Her ever famous punch had caught me squarely in the stomach. I flopped forward…

And laughed. I let out a amused laugh.

" Oh Hokage, you kill me. Do you really believe I would let my real self be caught? I must thank Choji-san for what he gave me. It really helped boost my chakra. But I am still weak from the sickness." Clumps of dirt fell to the ground as the Hokage yanked her hand from the gaping hole she had inflicted upon the mound of earth. I had fled and left a simple earth clone.

" Shino…keep my secret as you kept my others in death. You were a good friend." I smiled while holding his head in my lap. "How swift is death on her wings. She comes and steal their last breath. Good-bye Shino, you freaky bug lover." _BOOM._ Earth and blood mixed together and rained upon the five that were present. I would not be foolish enough to ACUTALLY send myself into that suicide killing. Now there were no traces of Shino for them to examine and extract any information. In the village 7 other separate explosions took place, whole families killed. I had not touched the children, I only paid them a visit and left them a present.

The Sand Trio and the Hokage hurried to put out the fires and to get Naruto to his home under the Trio's protection. What they had not expected was what would come the following morning. They could try all they want but I will get Naruto away from the village and for that, I had placed a special seal on him that required red ink. That was what was stained on my hand. RED INK. Not blood, ink. Tonight (which was really only 2 hours) Naruto will dream nothing, but come morning…the nightmares will begin and they can not enter unless they would like to kill Naruto themselves.

All feeling left him, he drifted in the sea of black. Suddenly a light called him forward and he found himself in a field that stretched for miles. Blues skies with soft cotton candy clouds were above him, a warm sun hanging brightly in the sky.

" Wh-where am I?"

" Naruto! You jerk! That was my favorite ribbon! Now I won't be able to look nice for Sasuke!"

" It's always Sasuke! He's just a spoiled snob!"

" Don't you say that! Get out of here you filthy demon." A pain flared in his chest at the words.

" Demon!"

" Bastard!"

" You never should have been born!"

" I wish you were dead!"

" Do us a favor and kill yourself!"

" Get out of here! I don't serve kids like you!"

" I'll kill you myself!"

" Just die!"

They words echoed and blurred together as the pain increased. A sobbing sound became clear to him and he saw himself. There was a group of older kids chasing him and taunting him. The kids vanished but the Naruto ran right up to his counter part. " Don't let them hurt me!" He cried as he hid behind Naruto. Shikamaru, Choji, Sakura, Ino, Shino, Kakashi, and Iruka walked up to the two, pulled Dream Naruto away from Real Naruto and began to beat him.

" You killed us! Why did we have to die instead of you? WHY! We had so much to live for!"

Shikamaru stepped forward with a whip in hand. The tips were sprinkled with broken glass. An insane look was placed on his face. " I had so much to live for. You took it all away from me." 5 times he brought down the whip. " You stole Ino from me!"

" Naruto, there was so much food I had yet to eat!" Choji slammed Naruto against an invisible wall. Needles appeared in his hands and he threw them at Naruto. " I had a life!"

" I will never be able to impress Sasuke again and it's your fault!" Sakura drew out a long Samurai sword and tore at Naruto, leaving him with long crimson ribbons on his body. " I hate you!"

" Shikamaru and I were suppose to get together and get married!" She held a giant shuriken in both hands. Dream Naruto couldn't even move to defend himself as they came his way. Both embedded themselves into his side. " NOW WE NEVER WILL!"

Bugs crawled on his body and began to devour his chakra. " I loved Sakura and did something to avenge her death! YOU DIDN'T DO ANYTHING! WORSE YOU KILLED ME!" The Dream version of himself struggled to get up on his hands and knees.

Kakashi and Iruka walked over to where he, his other false self, was. Both reached for him, stood him up and punched him first in the face then in the stomach. " We wanted to live happily together. Now look at us!"

" DIE!"

" DEMON!"

" BASTARD!"

"KILL YOURSELF!"

" JUMP OFF SOME BUILDING!"

Each word made the pain the real Naruto's chest grow stronger. His breath was shallow and his blood pooled at his feet.

" Why won't you help me?" His dream self asked while reaching out to him. " Save us from this hell!"

" DIE!" Everyone joined in to kill him. They turned to wild animals and tore him limb from limb. Naruto grabbed his sides as the pain increased. As he lay dieing someone walked up to him, picked him up and set him on his own two feet. Instantly the pain was gone and he was in a lush forest.

" Stay here with me Naruto. I will protect you." A voice calmly told him.

" Is this heaven?"

" On earth. This is a place were we can be together." His eyes felt heavy and he let them close.

" Why do you care for me? I'm a demon."

" You are my reason to live."

The Hokage walked into Naruto's home looked at Temari, Kankuro and Gaara as they were trying to keep Naruto's fever down.

" How is he?"

" We don't know, we just got him to calm down, he had a horrible seizure." Temari replaced the towel on his forehead.

" What happened to him?"

" He is mine." A raven perched on the window still replied.

" YOU! Give me one good reason why I shouldn't kill you!"

" Because he is awake."

Naruto sat up in bed and slowly opened his eyes. The blue that they all had expected was not there, they were a clouded grey. His mouth opened.

" Who are you people?"

Yang-chan: GOMEN! (deep bow) Please accept this extra long chapter as an apology. I was sick and had school and had life pile up on me so fast! I'm sorry! I'M SORRY! DO NOT THINK LESS OF ME! PLEASE FORGIVE ME!

Ferret: Excuse Yang-chan. This is her 5th week without coffee or caffeinated drinks. Please Review. Thank you.Oh, the Samurai in the title of the this Chapter...Shino is the name of a Samurai in a book...which we are too lazy or too withdrawn to look it up. So sorry!


	10. Leaf

_**Mine Alone**_

_A Yang Production_

The room became deadly quiet.

" Who are we?" The Hokage asked. " Who are we?" Eyes blazing she ran and grabbed the Raven. " What did you do to him? If you don't tell me I'll kill you right here! I've been wanting a new pen!"

" Watch it! Pull a feather and he'll be trapped!"

" Trapped?"

" His soul is trapped in the Dream world and his body is left without a single memory. There is no feeling in him."

" Hokage-sama. Leave this thing with me and I shall have him back." A cage made of sand appeared next to Gaara.

" Tsk tsk. Oh Gaara. I can't let you do that!" The Raven swelled and burst sending feathers about and in it's place was a small brown fox. It's needle like teeth sank into the Hokage's hand causing her to release it's hold on it. Suddenly there was a whole bunch of them running about, scampering under chairs and crawling on the furniture. Temari yelled out in disgust of the furry creatures and snapped open her fan.

" Get the hell away from me!" The air blast caused everyone else to be thrown to the wall along with one bright red fox.

" Thanks Temari!" The red one said as it curled around Naruto's neck, bit it's tail and sank into his skin leaving behind a bright red tattoo in the exact shape of the fox. All the other foxes ran towards Naruto and bowed deeply at his feet before they were surrounded by the sand. Bright crimson blood flowed through the sands, they were real foxes.

" Real foxes possessed." Gaara lifted a dead fox by the tail with his sand and chucked it over his shoulder. The body flew through the window and landed in some bushes.

" What is this!" Tsunade pointed to the tattoo left around Naruto's neck.

Something pulled at Naruto, making him stand. Again he felt that tug and he followed.

" Naruto!" Gaara ordered the sand to chase after but he was blocked off as a wall of earth sprang up. Tsunade was able to punch a hole in time to see Naruto standing on the railing.

"NARUTO!" He jumped. Enraged, she kicked and punched the wall till it broke. All four ran to the railing and held their breath as they peered over. The blonde continued his fall and landed gracefully on all fours in front of the black clad murderer.

" Kyuubi-sama, let's get out here and have some fun tearing this filthy place apart." They lifted Naruto's face so he could see them. Then they turned their attention to the four above. " Let me say something Hokage, a lambs life will cease to continue and you the one who watches the flock will be helpless."

Sand shot forth and threatened to kill. A smile passed over both Naruto and the Murderer's faces when they both were eaten by the earth. " YOU'LL BE HELPLESS!"

" I want every Shinobi available to protect my village! Post guards every 50 feet! All ANBU must be ready to do battle with this mad man!" Hokage yelled out the order to the Sand Trio. They nodded as they swept out, ready to warn the others. The Hokage herself ran towards the center to warn the villagers. Her words caused not only panic but anger.

" We told the previous Hokage that the brat would cause trouble!"

" We knew he would turn on us!"

People poured out from the center as families fled to their homes. Yet all were unaware that one child had run towards Naruto's home.

_I won't believe it! I WON'T! He wouldn't do that! I know he wouldn't! _Konohamaru dodged the people that were seeking refuge away from the 'hell hole' that was Naruto's current home. _This Naruto is a fake! A FAKE!_

The place was barren, sighing as if the life was sucked out of the place. The warm glow that shone in the window was gone replaced by a cold and distant chill. Birds refused to sit on the roof, dogs and cats that passed by growled and hissed as if they knew that something was wrong with the house.

" No!" The words felt like sandpaper in his mouth. The words of the villagers and Hokage swept through him like ice, chilling every bone in his body. So this was it had come to? Naruto turning on the village and on _him?_ Wasn't it Naruto that promised him to a battle for the title of Hokage? Wasn't it Naruto who said that someday he himself would be Hokage and protect this village with everything he had in spite of the cruel treatment that he took as a child?

" Naruto! You promised me that we would battle for the title of Hokage!" He cried. " You promised! YOU PROMISED!" Konohamaru felt his dreams shatter to the ground.

" You! You shouldn't be here." A guard told him as he appeared next to him. " Your mother is looking for you." Who ever the guard was bent over to comfort the cry boy. " Don't worry about that demon, we'll capture and kill him in no time, just you wait."

" He isn't a demon!" Konohamaru yelled as he slapped the guards hands away from him. " He is my rival for the title of Hokage!" The moment that the last words left his lips the ground opened and surrounded his legs.

" Is this true young one?" Someone asked.

" Crap!" The guard drew a kunai and scanned the area. Something thin and silver struck him from behind. As his body jerked forward from the momentum another needle flew followed by another. His whole body was covered in those silver rods before he hit the ground. Konohamaru watched in horror as something glided across the ground and rested at the body of the guard.

" Young one, do you wish to help Naruto?" They asked as they pulled the needles out, each dripping with blood. They kicked the guard over and spread their hands over the body. Thin translucent chakra ropes spread from their finger and attacked themselves to the body. Jerking back, the dead guard rose and stood before the cloaked figure. Konohamaru just sat silently, still bound by the shackles of earth.

" Naruto, come out please."

There was slight tremor and Naruto stepped out.

" Konohamaru, this is Kyuubi Naruto. And you my young friend…" The figure descended upon him, muffling his screams. " are gonna help the Kyuubi within come out."

The Hokage ordered the groups to spread out and to bring back Naruto UNHARMED. Many grumbled at this but one look from her shut them up.

" What are you up to?" She bit her lip in frustration. Something was gonna happen and she felt that no one would like it. A guard walked up to her and bowed.

" What is it."

" I just like you to know that we spotted something odd in the center. I think you should go look."

She asked him to show the way and she followed behind. As they both made their way, she noticed that the guard was moving awkwardly.

The center was abandoned and there was nothing odd about it.

" What is it that you wanted to show me?" She looked around wanting to figure out what was happening.

" Look there." They pointed. She squinted and could barely make out a figure. As it drew closer, she realized what it was. Something struck her form behind and she fell to the ground.

_Crap! I should have realized that Kankuro would have figured it out! _I cut lose the string that bound me to my doll. Kankuro's puppet picked itself up and turned to where I was hiding. It threw something me way and I dodged in time. Those little toys of his were poisonous. I must know where he got them from!

" Hokage!" I called out. " It's too late! Kyuubi will soon live here again. He will destroy the village you love. And it's all thanks to a young boy." My laughter rang throughout the village.

This would end everything and I could calmly bring Naruto back to this world. I could hear him behind me, Kyuubi was always impatient. There was blood dribbling down his face, and his eyes glowed red.

_To release the Kyuubi You must trap the soul…_

In the Dream World, Naruto slumbered peacefully for the first time in his life. There was no fear of night attacks nor fear of being jumped during the night. His heart was tranquil. A soft voice hummed a song, calming him even more.

_You must slay a lamb…_

Konohamaru put up quite the fight, inflicting a wound onto my face. He was the only one who truly saw my face.

_You must collar the Kyuubi…_

I had control over him now. The fox tattoo was like a medium so I could control the power.

_But most importantly…_

The form of Naruto burst into a furry huge fox with nine amazing tails. His roar sent chills down the adults spine. They knew that roar and they knew what would happen.

_Do not let the vessel's beloved call out their name._

I stood on the Kyuubi's head.

_**What is it that you called me for?**_

" Wouldn't you like revenge? This is the village that sealed you and abused your human vessel."

_**Konoha? I remember now. This village captured me and imprisoned me within a weak human. **_

" Do what I ask of you and you will have your revenge."

A foxy grin spread on his face.

_**Why should I listen to you when I could roam free?**_

I pulled out a small pendent sphere, inside was the silhouette of the nine tail. A means of control made from the Kyuubi's own power. It was kept secret and buried in the endless desert of the fire country.

" I have your will in my hands. Now…" I smiled pleasantly, " …let cause a little hell."

_**Are you human or really a demon?**_

" A little of both." I laughed as Kyuubi-sama leapt into the village, crushing homes and snapping his jaws at the running people. His tails swung and leveled many large homes.

" No!" Hokage yelled as she watched the demon know as Kyuubi destroy the village. Gaara, Kankuro, and Temari flinched slightly as the demon swung his tail.

" That is Nine-tails?" Gaara asked the Hokage.

" Yes. But we need to reseal…" Someone landed next to the Hokage. At first glance they appeared to be the same as the one riding atop the Kyuubi, but they did not have the whiskers etched into the mask. Gaara stepped in front of Tsunade, arms stretched out to protect her.

" Hokage-sama." The new figure whispered as they bowed at their feet. " Please forgive them, they do not know what they are doing. Blinded by love they leapt into this not knowing the consequences. I will do my best to correct them."

" Who are you?" Gaara demanded while his siblings stood ready at his side, Temari had her hand on her fan and Kankuro held onto the wrapped puppet.

" I…I too love Naruto, and I am willing to do everything to bring back peace to this village. I want to bring Naruto back. Allow me to battle this masked murderer and I promise to return Naruto."

" What is you fail?"

" If I can not bring back Naruto…then you are free to take my life." They held a scroll out with a seal of promise. Inside was a gold blade, newly made, in accordance to the old pacts.

" Are you really on our side?"

" Do you not trust me?"

" I can't trust people who hide behind mask and do not work for me."

" Hokage-sama…please place your trust me this time." They turned and ran after the demon._ Naruto please, come back to me. I can't bare the thought of you as this demon. I can't let you fall into THEIR hands. If it's the last thing I do in my life I will kill you…_

_**Brat, don't look now, but you have company.**_

" What?" I turned around and jumped at the person that stood on the rooftop. " Kyuubi-sama. Please, go have fun and let me deal with this little nuisance. But promise me one thing."

_**I do not make promises with humans.**_

" You better. This is the one Naruto truly loves. In the night he calls out their names. If Naruto hears them call out his name…you'll be trapped once again. And Naruto will gain control of his body."

_**So that is…?**_

" Yes…I have to kill the last person between me and Naruto."

Kyuubi-sama stopped in front of one of the last few remaining buildings. The moment my feet touched the concrete they attacked. My hands reacted and threw themselves up to defend me. The pain was horrible as it pierced both hands. Thankfully though I was able to grab their hands and kick them in their rib cage.

" I wondered when we would face off." I asked while I yanked the kunai out of my hands.

" I did too. I never thought it would be under these circumstances." They clutched their ribs in pain.

" Isn't it beautiful? The flames and the cries of anguish?"

" You idiot! Can't you see that you've crossed the line!"

" There is no line in love! Of course you know that…" I peered over my shoulder at the other.

" I know the right way to love someone. It took your stalking of Naruto to show me that."

" Stalking? Me?" I pulled at invisible strings and Konohamaru appeared in front of me. " Do I stalk Naruto? No. I just want to know more about him." Kyuubi was fighting off the puppets that belonged to Kankuro-san. Thank you for letting me learn from you. " Will you attack the innocent to protect what you love?" I wiggled my fingers and Konohamaru walked towards my enemy. They stepped back. " That what I hate about you. You have the eyes to see but you are blind." The building shook as Kyuubi slammed against it. I lost my control on Konohamaru. We all fell along with the building.

" What the hell is wrong with you Kyuubi-sama!" I screamed as I clung to his fur.

_**The little worms are stronger than they look.**_

" This is worse than I thought."

_**What do you suggest brat?**_

" Let grab two people…Hyuga Neji-san and Inuzuka Kiba."

The refuge shelter was filled with terrified people. They heard the growl and huddled together while Shinobi's surrounded them. The east wall fell as if it were flimsy paper. In the light stood the might Nine Tail. People screamed out, crying bloody murder.

_**I've come looking for Hyuga Neji and Inuzuka Kiba. **_

" Why do you need us?" Neji asked as he stepped forward.

" You have something I want." A fox masked person drawled as they leaned on Kyuubi's furry head.

" And if we refuse to come with you and try to defeat you?" Kiba and Akamaru growled.

_**I could eat them…I am a little hungry. **_

Two scrolls dropped into my hands and I threw them at the two. They jumped out of the way but they didn't expect the scrolls to open and wrap themselves around their bodies. Neji and Kiba struggled to reach their weapons but the scroll had mummified them. The masked person motioned for the demon to picked them up and carry them by the loose end of the scroll.

" Wait!" Two voices called out. Tenten and Rock Lee emerged from the crowd.

" I have no use for you." I was tired and wanted to go back and treat my wounds. " You two are not worthy dipping my hand into blood for." I nodded my head and asked Kyuubi to leave. " Maybe I will come back, but for now, leave us be."

" Neji…" I turned and talked to the unmoving body I had captured. " We may have a special blood limit and we share special eyes…but we see things differently."

Tsunade waited in her office, receiving reports from all over the village. Then came the person she wanted to talk too.

" Hokage…" They walked in and bowed.

" Where is Naruto!"

" Forgive me…I could not get near enough to call him back. However…" They lifted their cloak to reveal the body of Konohamaru. "… I was able to bring this young boy back."

" No.." She reached out with trembling hands and gently touched the boys face as tears streamed. " Not you too. I promised that I would protect you too."

" Hokage…If I may speak."

" You may."

" I know how to defeat this person. I know who they are."

" Who? Who is it!"

They put Konohamaru on a sofa like chair and took off their mask. Turning around their eyes held a look of concern.

They let out a sigh and spoke the name of stalker/murderer.

Across the village,in a cave, someone sneezed. " Someone is talking about me…and I know who."

* * *

Yang-chan: Okay! After talk! Next chapter is going to be a special chapter! A Naruto and Sasuke Special! Yay!

Ferret: Yes. Speaking of that, have you noticed that Yang is no longer doing the one single story per chapter? No she decided that it would not work out in the long run so she switched. Anyway…on a different note, the story is gathering to a close. Soon it will be over.

Yang-chan: SHUT UP! I'm gonna cry. I'm having so much fun with this story! I'm gonna miss is so much. I hope you all are enjoying this as much as I do writing it. When it is over I hope that you guys will be there reading the tragic conclusion. (bow) thank you. Anyone got a tissue?


	11. Naruto and Sasuke Special

_**Mine Alone**_

_A Yang Production_

**Naruto and Sasuke Special**

Mother would take me into town everyday, girls would drool over me, they clung to me, they never left me alone. Then the unthinkable happened one day.

" Kaa-san!" I cried out as loud as my voice could let me. She had decided to let me go shopping with her although I had a slight fever. Struggling to find her I ran into a pink haired girl named Sakura. She blushed and tried to talk to me but I walked past her, I was tired and didn't want to be bothered. A squeal came from behind me and a huge group of girls came running in my direction. My little feet carried me far, but I was losing energy. Rounding a corner I collided with something soft.

" I'm sorry!" I apologized while rubbing my head. The other kid did the same thing. To my horror I had not lost the girls. He must have seen the fear in my eye for he took my wrist and led me into an alley and pushed aside a big box. There was a little hole, just big enough to let a 5 year old in to.

" Sasuke-kun! There you are!" Someone called out. I dove into the hole not caring where it lead to…heck it could lead to hell and I would be safer. The other kid clambered after me and blocked the hole with some bricks. He motioned to follow him and I did. We were some where outside the village walls in some kind of field.

" Thank you." I panted as I leaned on my knees. " I'm a little tired." My body was burning up and I felt myself falling to the ground. The other boy rushed towards me and I fell into the darkness.

Water calmly running down a stream…the chirping of birds…wind as it played with the trees…and the crackling fire. Something covered me as I bolted up right. The starry night smiled down on me.

" Better?" The voice was so soft and timid, almost as if they had never talked to another person.

" Did I fall down?"

The other boy was kneeling at the fire, poking it to keep it going, he nodded. He turned to me and pushed me back down. In his hand he held a small towel, he walked to the streams edge, dipped it in, wrung it out and placed it on my head. His hands were so warm and gentle.

" I'm sorry for being sick." I muttered as I was lulled into sleep by his warmth. " I just wanted to be with my Kaa-san…she got lost."

" Tell me about it."

I strained against the sleep that was pulling at my eye lids. " She wanted…to make a dessert…and I wanted to help her out…some help I was."

" I'm sure you helped…"

" Ya…maybe." I let myself sleep again. I don't remember when my fever broke but by morning I felt better. Scanning around I did not see him. The fire was dying so I looked for some wood. Turning around, I came face to face with a bright red apple. He held it out. I took it and bit into it. It was juicy and sweet. At the sight of my smiling face he gave back a small smile.

" The fires dead." I said in between bites. He nodded but didn't tend to it. Once we finished our makeshift breakfast, he stood up and walked to the edge of the trees. His eyes gave off an intense feel, like he was deciding what to do. His look confused me but I didn't let it show.

" Let's go, your Kaa-san might be worried." I looked at his outstretched hands. I didn't want to leave yet, it was so peaceful. I reluctantly took his hands and followed him into the village. We entered through the same hole in the wall and walked towards the center. There, franticly searching, was my father, mother and Nii-san. I was so glad and took a step forward.

" Thank you so much! How can I pay you back?" He just shook his head and pointed to my Kaa-san. There were tears in her eyes. I turned once more to look at him. There was a bright smile on his face.

" I'm Uchiha Sasuke!" I yelled over the noise of people now between us. " What about you?" He didn't reply, instead he continued to smile and then he turned and ran off.

" SASUKE!" My Kaa-san's arms wrapped around me and she smothered me with kisses.

" Kaa-san! Some boy found me, took care of me, and brought me back. He was an angel Kaa-san. A real angel."

" He must be, he brought you back to me." She sobbed as she held me close.

" Yes…but I don't know his name." I searched for him everyday but could never find him again. A year later I found Naruto.

Now, I returned to the same spot in hopes of finding him. I never did see him again. The ground was nice and cool as I sat down.

" Sasuke!" Naruto called out. " What the hell are you think! Sakura's worried sick about you!"

" What do you want dobe?"

" You're sick! You can't be out here." His hands reached out and touched my forehead. They jerked back from the fever.

" So what?" I mumbled as he now carried me on his back. Somewhere between his house and the place I was at, I had blacked out.

There was a warm hand on my head, replacing the compress. It was the same warm and gentle hand. " I found you." I muttered still drifting between sleep and awareness.

" Go back to sleep."

" I never got your name…it's rude not to respond."

" You don't need my name." He still had that touch that lulled me to sleep.

Naruto replaced the compress and smiled at the sleeping Uchiha. " I'm just glad you remembered."

Yang-chan: There, a calm kinda sweet moment between the two. Hah! I did it! Yes!

Ferret: I hope you like the special…if you did it was my idea! If you didn't it was Yang's! Please leave a review. Sorry this was short. (bow)


	12. Fang

_**Mine Alone**_

_A Yang Production_

_To Release the Kyuubi You must trap the Soul_

_You must Slay a Lamb_

_You must collar the Kyuubi_

_But most importantly_

_Do not let the Vessel's beloved_

_Call Out Their Name_

The words echoed in my head as I leaned against the damp cave wall.

_Cough Cough _" Oh fuck! Of all things to happen to me!" I clutched my chest as I bent over from the pain of cough. _Cough Cough_

_**Brat, you are a weak human. **_

" Oh shut the hell up Kyuubi-san!" Automatically I reached up and grabbed the pendant that hung around my neck. As I squeezed it, Kyuubi snapped his jaws in pain. " Don't you talk like you know me!" My body jerked forward as my hand flew to my mouth. Coughing became more painful with every minute and being in this damp cave did little to help me. The Chakra pills I had stolen from Choji did nothing for the sickness and left me in worse state than before.

_**It's not my fault that you can not fight off the smallest sickness. I do not get sick. **_

" Do you want to know what it is like to get sick then Kyuubi-san…" My hands played with the medium. Upon seeing it he calmed down to mere muttering.

" Now for your guests," I trudged my way over and removed the binding scrolls. Akamaru leapt at me in a futile attempt to protect his master, I snapped my fingers and a full grown fox pinned him to the wall.

" AKAMARU!" Kiba shouted. I could barely see him in the darkness. Deciding that the only way I could talk to them was to light a candle, I hid my face. They shielded their eyes from the brightness, and I saw Kiba trying to pry my little pet off Akamaru.

" Rest east Kiba-san. As long as Akamaru does not attack me he will not die." Rings of earth bound the young pup to the cave wall.

" You sick twisted murderer! You'll have to kill me before you lay a signal finger on Akamaru!" He stood in front of me so I could not reach out and slay the cute little fury one.

" What kind of person do you think I am? Akamaru has done nothing to Naruto. I would never raise my hand against the cousins of Kyuubi-san. It is you that must die." I turned to Neji who had his Byakugan activated. He stood in stunned silence.

" What do you see Neji-san?" I cocked my head to a side as I approached him. " Do you now understand what the face of death is?"

" But you're- " A piece of paper was wrapped around his mouth , winding around his head and sealed behind his right ear.

" Tsk tsk. It's rude to announce someone's name before they want it to be know." I watched as he struggled to break it off, and noticing a gap, kicked him in the stomach. Two clones appeared behind him and caught him, they too also wore the Silence seal.

" I hope that you find this to your liking, you'll be here a while." I chuckled as I raised my hands bringing up a thick wall of earth. " Just start digging…it'll only take you five years…by then everything will be long gone."

_**He's awake Brat. I can feel him moving. **_

" Naruto-kun!" I chuckled amused. " I better be there to greet him then. Take good care of my body."

Naruto woke up and stood at the top of a grassy hill, the wind blowing gently on his face.

" Naruto-kun!" Someone called out. Two little kids came running up. They tackled him to the ground. " You promised to play!"

" Who are you?" Naruto scrambled to get up but found it difficult.

" Can't you recognize your two biggest fans?" A figure laughed. " They were scanning the whole hill side for you."

" Eh?"

" Go back and study kiddies and leave the older kids to talk."

" But we want to play with Naru-chan!"

" Yeah! All the other kids got to hang out with him already! Kaa-san said she wanted him over tonight!" The two kids augured as they ran off, tossing a good bye to Naruto. The blonde sat in a daze…what the hell was going on? Kids usually avoided him. Their parents forbid any contact with him and would never invite him to their house.

" You're quiet popular Naruto-kun. You almost don't have time to spend with me anymore!" They smiled. He could see their face, those lovely eyes and the dark colored hair, but he could not place it anywhere.

" Umm…what's going on?"

" You are taking a break from being Hokage…or have you already forgotten our little planned outing?"

It was then that Naruto finally realized what he was wearing. A white robe like clothing was worn over a red tunic like thing. At his right hand was the Hokage cap, resting on his knees. In his mind, he could recall the previous Hokage, Tsunade, giving him the title.

" But I thought the village would never let me become the Hokage…"

" Why not?" They turned around to look at them.

" Because of the Kyuubi…"

" Oh…Really Naruto! How many times do I have to remind you that everyone's totally fine with it?" Their hands reached over and enfolded Naruto's into theirs. " Listen, you've done everything you wanted, you have me, and you have the whole village that adores you."

" Then why do I still feel like something is missing?"

" Maybe because…you need to ask me something?"

" Eh?"

" Did you forget that you told me to meet you here!" They sounded pissed off.

_Oh Naruto…even here you are so forgetful! _As mad as I was with him, I just smiled my smile. Seeming to 'recall' that he had something, he pulled it out. It was a rose…and he told me that he loved me.

" I love you too Naruto-kun!" I pulled him close to me, close enough to kiss him. But before either one of us could enjoy the kiss, an arrow pierced my right shoulder. The pain was real and so was the bleeding…and I knew that Kiba had attacked my body. What is that Kyuubi doing to not take care of my body! A few more minutes and Naruto would have been completely mine and mine alone. Jerking awake, I noticed the clawed hand that protruded from my shoulder. Kiba shouted something to Neji and pulled his hand from my shoulder.

" I think I'm gonna die."

" Oh…you shouldn't have done that." I growled as Kyuubi treated me. The stupid fox had fallen asleep on the job. " It was better if you had just not transformed. But this way…" I opened the cave wall and saw two identical Kibas…fanged and clawed. They bared their fangs at me. Kyuubi had gently nuzzled fur unto my wound healing it instantly. " So the dogs come out to play…" I stretched out my hand and a small red fox jumped up, and we were ready.

On the other side of the village in the Hokage's office, Tsunade collapsed into a chair.

"No!" She muttered while covering her face with her hands. " Are you sure!"

" Yes." The one on their side nodded. " I wish I could deliver better news…" They replaced their mask and proceeded to cover the body of the young boy. " Hokage… I know this may be difficult, but it is the truth. And if I am right the next to die will be either Hyuuga Neji-san or Inuzuka Kiba-san."

" We must warn their parents!"

" I already have. Now…" They pulled from the folds of their clothes a map. Rolling it open, they marked off the caves just outside the village. " These have many underground tunnels, it is possible that they have hidden their with Kyuubi. I asked Gaara-san to go and see if he can pick up the Fox's Chakra. Also, if there is any blood shed, then he will alert us. I ask that you send your troops out their. It's our best shot." The parchment rolled up by itself and they handed it to the Hokage. She accepted it.

"…"

" I know that you have mixed feelings about this Hokage but it is the only way. We must kill them before they kill this whole village."

Tsunade face harden. " You're right. Let's go grab our murderer."

_Hang on Naruto…I will come for you and we will be able to be together._

Naruto watched as the only person to ever love him died before his eyes.

" No! NO!" He cradled them, feeling their body become cold while he remained warm. " Who did this! Who the hell did this!"

_**Hehehe…To think that you really would be accepted by this village…pathetic fool. **_

" Who are you!" The world around dissolved, leaving him suspended in a dark void, now holding nothing but emptiness.

_**If you are willing, I will destroy that which is killing you. Just let yourself go Kit. **_

Nine fox tails snaked out and wrapped themselves around him.

**_Don't let anything distract you. Don't listen to anyone but us…_**

" Is he willing?" I asked while jumping off a ledge.

_**Yes brat!**_

" Good!" I flipped Kiba off as he tried to pounce on me. Neji also joined in the fight. Akamaru stood behind me, hands ready to dig into my skin.

" Die you sicko!" Kiba grabbed my arm as I tried to get away, allowing Neji the chance to try and close my chakra holes. Rapidly he touched the openings, and only when he had stopped did he see that Kiba and Akamaru lay weak on the ground.

" Thank you for helping me Neji…" Concentrating, I made a clone. " Now what was that attack…yes." Grabbing my clones hand, we jumped high into the air, and came down spinning rapidly towards Kiba and Akamaru. " Double Fox Claw." Long filed claws extended from my hands. I longed to see that blood of his fly through the air. Kiba struggled to get up but my last minuet switch had left him with out any will. Neji was busy battling Kyuubi's multiple tails, each one now deadly sharp.

" We hope you greet the others in hell!" Pulling our hands back, we rapidly plunged them into their bodies, pulled them out and plunged them back in. Each time we did, blood splattered in the air, leaving wonderful designs on the cave walls. " It was fun but I can't let you spill my secret by the smell of blood on my hands." The last assault we (my clone and I) did in unison, we plunged our hands in and ripped out their heart while it still throbbed, spraying out the lovely luscious red liquid that gives us our lives.

" A gift for you Kyuubi-san. I know how long it has been seen you've had such a gift in your name."

**_Not bad…for a small one like you. _**He wrapped his furry tail around Neji and threw him into the cave ceiling. **_We must go…I can sense him. The other demon._**

" He must have smelled the blood." I licked my hands clean while I returned the earth to the ground. " I can't wait to face him…but first…There is Rock Lee and Tenten. They will come for Neji. Take him with us."

I climbed on top of Kyuubi's head. Carefully we made our way out, the sun casting gentle rays on the land.

" Speak of the devil." I muttered under my breath. I did not just see Gaara, like I had just expected. Millions of faces peered down at me, including Naruto's true love, the one that loved Naruto above anything else.

_**We seem to have walked to our death. What now O great one?**_

" Can the shit talk Kyuubi!" I chewed my bottom lip as I scanned the huge crowd. The one I feared walked down, followed by Tsunade. " Say here and do not come near!"

_**What about you?**_

I glared the best I could behind a mask at Kyuubi and jumped down. There was so much hate on Tsunade's face, and I could feel the hate being emitted from the one who walked beside her.

We met half way, and we just stood their, eyeing each other. Finally at the same time in time we greeted each other.

" Hello…"

" Uchiha Sasuke."

" Hyuuga Hinata."

We jumped into the air as we started the war for the hand of Naruto. And out of this battle only one could come out the victor.

THE OTHER MUST DIE.

* * *

Yang-chan: From here it looks like only (counts) Three chapters and the epilogue. WHAA! Only four chapters left! I can't kill off the Sand trio. That would cause many problems for Konoha later one, but I just want to thanks my reviews for every thing so far! I love you all!

Ferret-san: 4 more chapters with this story left…(pause) Anyway, once this is over, Yang-chan will return to her CCS story ALL FOR A SMILE and then begin a new Naruto story! So be on the look out. See ya soon! (wave)


	13. Rock

_**Mine Alone**_

_A Yang Production_

**T**he words GIVE UP were beaten out of my vocabulary. Father made sure of that. Spar after Spar, battle after long battle, lesson after lesson, he made sure that those two words were driven out of me. It worked far too well. Then all he saw of me was the weak side, he could never accept all of me. Even with our eyes he could not see the irreversible damage he had caused me, he could only see me when I fought. Even then I was to battle it all out. Why would the people on the side lines yell Give Up? What did that mean?

" Thank you father for teaching me to never give up." I whispered as I let loose a thousand of my lovely earth clones.

Even in the academy and even my Sensei had always told us to never give up. Is it ironic then that their lesson that they had personally taught me will be their undoing?

" Hokage-sama! I hope that your village is made of strong material!" As the words left my mouth, she turned around in time to see two huge clouds of dust rise into the air followed by columns of fire. Earth, wood, concrete, bushes, and other materials rained down on the village, far from the were the villagers were seeking protection. There was such hatred on her face as she turned to try and attack.

" DON'T YOU CARE ABOUT THE VILLAGE!" Her freakish strength allowed her to destroy my clones with one hit. I looked over my shoulder at Kyuubi and found him playing with his food. Ten Shinobis were caught under his feet.

**_You really think you're better? When I was trapped in human form you mocked me. Dare you mock me now!_**

There was no use for me in helping him. I had someone bigger to deal with. It was THEM that I feared. That THEY would succeed…that THEY would take Naruto from me.

" I won't let them." I growled while seeking them. They were a distance from Kyuubi, slowly and steadily working their way towards the furry fox. " You can't take him from me. YOU CAN'T!" With a single hand I commanded the earth to rise up and come crashing down on them. THEY MUST DIE!

**T**hrough the chaos, Neji wove in and out of the battle towards the Hokage who was currently busy wiping out mounds of dirt that rose up. Spotting him, she moved towards him.

" Neji-san!"

He fought through the earth clones that stood against him. The Silence seal was still wrapped around his mouth. Tsunade tried to pry it off, using her charka to counteract the seal. It was futile. They had no time to come up with another plan, a long dragon made of the earth roared as it snaked it's way towards them.

" CRAP!" Tsunade and Neji jumped put of harms way. She knew that soon she would have to release the seal on herself if this battle continued for much longer. Something cool wrapped itself around her legs. Two arms worked their way up her legs, trapping her to that spot.

" Hokage-sama…I can't let you get away." A face emerged, though covered. More arms grabbed her…binding her…trapping her.

" But don't you know that even the earth can become the finest of all sands?" A bored voice remarked. Sand rolled towards the binds that bound Tsunade. The instant the sand touched the clones, the clones dissolved and was added to Gaara's sand. " The earth can become sand…and I have power over sand." Gaara calmly walked towards the Hokage, a small, slightly twisted smile on his face as he realized that he could now stop the clones.

**R**ock Lee desperately looked for his comrade. How many time had Neji come to his aid? Now was the time to repay his debt. Up ahead, just a little way from the fight he had finished with some earth like thing, there was a commotion. Two people dressed in black were fighting. They were engaging in close range combat. The one on the right was winning, having landed many blows on the one on the left. Lee took a step back and a twig snapped announcing his presence. Both figures looked up.

" LEE!" They said in unison.

" Watch out for Hinata!"

" Don't listen to Sasuke! He's the one who killed them all!"

" Lies! All of them! Hinata's the one who is the real murderer!"

Even as they continued to fight they shouted many things to him, trying to convince him. He was beyond confused, who to trust and who to kill? A loud thud pulled him out of his thoughts as someone landed painfully in front of him. The other figure had a kunai in hand, raised ready to strike. Surely this was the one that Lee had to kill? Using his speed he was able to land an open palm on the person's stomach and send them crashing into the nearest tree.

" Thank you Lee…" He jumped into the offensive. He was unsure of THIS person's real identity and if they were telling the truth.

" I can't let both of you walk away. I don't know what side you are on. But I do know that I must kill one of you to avenge what you did to my precious Sakura!"

" Sakura…?" They got up, swaying slightly from the battle. " You mean to avenge her death?...You really expect to beat the one who took her from this earth?"

Chills ran down his back…this person's tone was eerie, almost too clam when speaking of someone's death.

" Would you like to see her? Would you like to join her?" This was said in a whisper. " That slut wouldn't give Naruto the time of day…let alone return his love. I had to kill her. I had to make sure that she would never hurt him. My hands ran red with her blood…and yours will spilled. Thank you for knocking out my enemy." All Lee could see was a black blur. Their sped left him stunned…they moved with out any restrictions, faster than he could have ever imagined.

" Boo!" A voice said softly in his ear. He tried to kick at where the voice came from, but he found empty air. " You can't catch me…" An invisible hand punched him in the face, sending him reeling in the air. Before he could hit the ground he saw them and felt a knee in his stomach. At the same time something hit his back.

"AGH!" He fell to the ground and coughed up blood. It was insane. Three blows, all in about 2 seconds time, less even! It was time to get serious. Quickly, he threw off his weights. Now maybe they could be even.

Both of them were blurs in the trees, each landing their blows and receiving. The only problem was that they were stronger then he was.

_I can't out run them, I can't out punch them…what the hell am I suppose to do!_

He was able to dodge a punch, the tree behind him splintering. Thinking quickly, he lashed out and was able to grab the invisible hand, halting their attack.

" No!"

Gripping tightly, Lee kicked upward making contact with their face. Their face jerked back, making a sickening sound. Letting go, their body flew through the air, an orb like thing slipped off their neck. Both landed on the soft grass with a thud. For many moments Lee just leaned shakily against a tree, trying to regain his breath, hoping beyond hope that his opponent would not get up.

" Stay down and stay dead." He wished under his breath. Somehow he found the strength to walk over to the body. There was no movement, save for the clothing being moved by the wind. " I was the one to kill them Sakura…please rest in peace." A single tear rolled down his sweat covered face.

" Rest in Peace!" A hand snapped out and gripped him leg tightly. Before he could have had a chance, they had wrapped both legs around his neck. He was violently jerked forward and swung by his neck. They released him and watched as lines of trees fell. Dust billowed and many birds cried as they took to the skies, lamenting the lose of their young.

**A**ll that distance that Lee had took them was gone. He could see the Leaf Shinobis, he could see Gaara and Hokage attending to the one he had knocked out. They were so close…yet so far away. He just didn't have the energy to cry out for back up. Straining, he propped himself onto an elbow.

" You made me lose my necklace…it's very special." There was a pain in his left hand. He feared what he would find, but he looked. His head was jerked to the side.

" Why don't you open the Gates Lee? Or are you afraid that if you do, you'll lose like you did against Gaara?" They kicked him in the stomach. " You lost and I think I should do the same thing that Gaara did to you…only this time, it'll be both legs, both arms." He felt them pick him up from the ground. Something wrapped itself around him arms. Then the pressure began.

" Agh!" There was a snap, and pain throbbed through out his body. Again something snaked itself onto his legs. There was only one thing going on in his mind…_Crap! What did I do to deserve this!_

**E**ven though it was fun to toss Lee around like a little rag doll, my fun was cut short. The Hokage and everyone else had appeared.

" Hello Hokage-sama." I pleasantly said. I snapped my fingers and Lee was placed on a make shift cross.

" Release Lee!"

"umm…No. How about you have some fun with my Clones?" I laughed as they crawled from the ground. At the same time, the cross started to expand and absorb Lee's body.

" Let him go." I recognize the voice. Gaara stepped forward.

" Why?" I grabbed the bulge around my neck. Kyuubi growled as he came running towards me. " Now, attack my clones!" The whole swarm charged forward only to collide with a wall of sand. Before I could do anything all my clones had become the wall of sand.

"Crap!" I hissed. I barely missed becoming encased in the sand. " Still…I have one thing!" I placed two fingers to my mask. " Bye Bye Lee!" Red Crimson rippled in the air. The warm blood dripped from the cross that become a Earth Coffin…something that I had picked up from Gaara. " Kyuubi! Let's get the hell out of here!" He skid to a halt and I started to run towards him when the most chilling word was said out loud.

" NARUTO!"

_Do not let the Vessel's beloved_

_Call Out Their Name…_

_**Do not let the Vessel's beloved**_

_**Call Out Their Name…**_

_**DO NOT LET THE VESSEL'S BELOVED**_

_**CALL OUT THEIR NAME…**_

It was then that I realized that I was screwed. Kyuubi glanced at me before he started to snap his jaws and growl from the pain.

_**Brat! What the hell is happening!**_

" He's coming back. Naruto is coming back to this world!"

Everyone watched as the Huge furry fox began to dissolve into a human shape. He was huddled in a ball, naked, weak in body and mind, and confused beyond anything.

I knew then that I was going to lose…and I hate losing. My plan was falling apart…everything I had worked for...all the people I killed…it had fallen apart. It was now worth nothing. My vision ran red, I saw all the blood that I had spilled surrounding me. They wanted me dead…all the people I had killed wanted me to burn in hell with them and they would drag me down.

_**I HAD FAILED NARUTO…**_

_**AND NOW I WAS GOING TO PAY.

* * *

**_

Yang-chan: mew mew…Hello! Been a long time…(falls to knees) FORGIVE ME! I'm so sorry! I am unworthy of your reviews!

Ferret-san: Ignore her. She's been horribly sick. Please forgive the long wait for this update.

Yang-chan: (still on knees) I'm so sorry!

Ferret-san: Still ignore her. Please review this chapter. Only 3 more chapters. Oh! The next chapters might be on the short side. It's winding to a close. Can't help it.

Yang-chan: Thank you all my wonderful reviewers that have been with me! See ya around!


	14. Heaven

_**Mine Alone**_

_A Yang Production_

**I**…failed? Is that what was happening? Kyuubi-sama was gone and Naruto had returned to the physical plane from the dream world. Everything seemed to drift far from me as I was drowning in a sea of blood. Drowning in my own sins…I was beyond forgiveness.

**N**o one dared to draw a breath, the figure seemed to quiver as they still lay huddled on the ground.

" Naruto!" Tsunade rushed to his side and threw her green jacket over his naked body. She took one of his hands into her own and he gripped it tightly.

" Baa…san?" His voice was so quiet. He looked up at her his eyes full of tears. "Baa-san, Baa-san! I…I hurt them all didn't I! They all died because of me! I killed them all!"

" What are you talking about Naruto?"

" Sakura-chan! Ino-san! Kiba-san! All of them! It was my fault! It's because of my existence!"

"Shhh." Tsunade placed a finger on his lips to silence his ramblings and placed her head on his. " It's not your fault. We lost people, but it's not you Naruto. It never was you…"

He sobbed silently into her chest. " Baa-san…but they were killed in my name!"

" Hokage-sama is right Naruto." A voice added. " You have nothing to do with all this. It's their fault." They jerked a thumb at the person who was muttering insanely to themselves. " They lost themselves a long time ago, their world came crashing down on them and they tried to find a light. They failed." Naruto looked over to the person that was talking to him. Through the slits in the mask he could see two eyes staring back at him, kind, warm eyes that understood his pain and accepted him. " They lost themselves, and they let out that frustration on innocent people, do you understand Naruto?" Naruto nodded his head. " It never was you. You are to kind…you're too pure. Your love for this village is too great for you to harm anyone…so please don't blame yourself." They reached for their mask and leaned in towards Naruto. The mask slid away enough so that their identity wasn't revealed. Warm lips covered Naruto's. This wasn't like the other kiss…this was…was…well Naruto didn't know how to describe it, but it sure beat the other one!

A scream broke the kiss.

_**N**oooo!_ I watched in horror as they broke apart. Naruto blushed and placed a hand to his lips. _This can't be happening! It just can't be._

" I failed…I failed. I failed…heh heh…I failed…I failed to turn this village against Naruto. I bloodied my hands for nothing!" My hands were dripping with blood. " Look at this blood that I spilled! LOOK AT IT!" I raised my hands to the sky. " BLOOD! RED BLOOD ON MY HANDS! I killed them all! All of them! I did…I did…" My hands dropped to my side. " I did. Every last one of them…" Lee's body was carried to where Tenten and Neji stood with Gai. Tenten let out another sobbing scream.

" LEE! LEE! No! Not you! Anyone else but you!"

" Heeh Haha! Another life broken! More blood on my hands." I laughed. " I failed…"

" It's over." Tsunade said calmly. " There's nothing for you now. Nothing."

"Nothing?" The word caused me to drop to my hands and knees. " Nothing at all? Am I alone? Am I alone AGAIN?" Slowly sand made it's way towards me. It crawled up my arms and legs. " Have I fallen that far? So far into my hell that no light can find me?" The idea was insane! Me, alone?

" Should we kill them right now Hokage-sama?" Gaara's voice asked.

" No, we'll take them to Konoha and hand 'em over to Ibiki. He'll take care of everything. Afterwards…they'll rot to death in a cell." There was poison in the words that the Hokage spouted.

" Me…in a cell?" I whispered as the sand started to get tighter. " Away from Naruto? Away from my only important person? I won't allow it…" Placing my hands flat on the ground I thought of one thing: THE DESTRUCTION OF KONOHA. " I WON'T LET YOU KILL MY DREAM!" The ground shook violently as I poured out my chakra. I could hear everyone scampering trying to avoid what ever it was that was happening. Everything calmed down as I let myself fall to the ground exhausted. It started with a small crack, then the crack grew bigger and divided. Jagged towers of earth shot up into the sky, surprising many shinobis. Ground gave way when some shinobis tried to land on them, their screams echoing into the dark nothingness. The ground beneath Gaara shot up and the sand that shackled me fled to save its master.

_Now the fun begins…_The ground split open and let loose a wave of mud that swept away any inexperienced shinobis. Those who were able to escape the waves found that spikes shot forth from the towers that they sought refuge on. Another earthquake rattled the small village as the ground broke apart and the land became unstable, it would rise up in areas or give out completely and leave a giant void in it's place. Shakily I rose to my feet. Tsunade had Naruto on her back as she was making her way to Konoha.

" Come back! You won't take Naruto!" I brought up my hands palm out. Two snakes shot out and made their way to where Naruto was. They wrapped themselves around her waist and around her neck. I wrapped my hands around the two snakes and was about to pull when a giant Shuriken came out of no where and cut my line. SHE had to come back and avenge Lee.

" I don't have time for this Tenten!" I screamed at her. She didn't even flinch as she stood in the tree with her hands full of weapons. As I avoid wave after wave of weapons I thought _Where the hell that she hide all that! _By mere chance I looked up to see that Tsunade ripped off my little pets and handed Naruto to her own masked friend. " Get out of my way bitch!"

The tree that Tenten stood in suddenly jerked awkwardly and then it shot towards the sky. Tenten grabbed on tightly as she watched the earth crumble away from the tree till the roots were exposed. From the sky she saw the devastation that they had made. She saw Earth Dragons, Fire Dragons made from the free flowing magma underneath the ground, people were running and screaming and the earth was cracking, splitting, all this done by one person. Losing her grip she began to fall. Weightlessness over took her, she felt the wind against her, then needles running down her arms. Opening her eyes she grabbed hold of a branch.

" Ugh, more trees." She muttered as she began to climb down. Something struck her from behind and she crashed to the ground. Strong hands were wrapped around her neck.

" You took him from me!" They yelled over and over again as they began to hit her head against the ground. " You can't live anymore! DIE! ROT IN HELL YOU STUPID BITCH!" Tenten reach for her pocket and pulled out a kunai, but she wasn't able to use it. " Oh no you don't!" They ripped it from her hands and kept choking her. " Now I can't be with him! You all should have left him to me. Now I have to kill my only love!" They raised the Kunai above their head and started to sob. " I have to kill Naruto!" Tenten was starting to blackout, she almost didn't see them bring that kunai down. Pain spread through out her body, followed instantly by more and more. They…were stabbing her multiple times…and still they held their hand around her neck. Darkness was spread itself over her. It was so inviting, it was warm and calm, and there was no pain. Yes, she could even see Lee in the darkness holding out his hand.

_Come with me Tenten, over here there is no pain, no sadness, no suffering. Come…come to me Tenten. _

She extended her hand and took his as she stood up from were she was laying. Even as she heard the last echoes of the living world she never looked back.

" Oh, crap! What have I done!" I shouted as I looked at Tenten's open lifeless eyes. "No! You had to die! YOU JUST HAD TO!" I wiped my hands on the grass trying to get the blood off. " Get off! Off! OFF!" Satisfied with my hands I worked on how to get rid of her body. " Earth…swallow her!" The ground rose up around her and came crashing down, but through a gap I could see her eyes starring back at me, drilling into my soul, messing with my head. " STOP IT! LEAVE ME ALONE!" I backed away as she disappeared into the ground.

_**You killed me…**_

"STOP IT! GET AWAY FROM ME!"

_**What did I do to you…?**_

" You hurt Naruto! You destroyed him!"

_**We're coming for you…**_

" SHUT UP! YOU'RE DEAD!" I lifted my hands and a wall of earth rose up then came crashing down on the small forest wiping out the trees and any living thing.

_**You can't escape from us…murderer!**_

" I'm not! I'm not!" I tired to block out the voices but they were inside my head.

_**Murderer!**_

" You had to die! I'm not a murderer! I'M NOT A MURDERER!"

_**MURDERER!  
**_

**N**aruto slept soundly as Tsunade placed him in the spare room that was joined to her office. He would occasionally mutter the words, "It's not my fault."

" What are we to do now?" She stroked his head in order to calm him down.

" I don't know. I really didn't expect them to explode into such a rage. We lost half the village." Outside the window, smoke rose up in large clouds. Houses lay in ruins, some still burning. Half of Konoha lay intact, the ground around it was not affected by the earthquake. " But the calm that we have now won't last. They most likely will rest and attack again…but this time we might lose everything."

" Or we might win everything." Naruto turned in his sleep. " You did good. You kept your promise."

" Mm…"

" You really care about Naruto…even if you never showed it before."

" Excuse me?"

" You so shy about your feelings."

" Oh shut up."

" Someone's blushing."

The awkward atmosphere was cut short as a low rumbling sound swept through out Konoha.

" Hokage-sama…we have company. I'll meet you out there."

Among the ruble that was half of Konoha stood two people dressed in black with a fox mask hiding their face. Each one had a reason to fight for, one that they would die for. The battle was far from over. Both of them were equal in power, both equal in defense.

" Stop this! You can still come back!"

" I can't! They won't let me. Can't you hear them? They keep haunting me! Calling me a murderer! I'm not!"

Both jumped into the air and landed a punch squarely on their opponents face. As they landed the mask shattered. Sharingan met Byakugan.

" Sasuke-san, I love Naruto more than anything."

" As do I Hinata-san."

" Heh…_Cough _I will fight till I die… _Cough..._ThoughI may not last very long."

" You are sick are you not Hinata-san?"

" _Cough _A side affect of my love. _Cough. Cough." _

" Please stop and let me take you back! We can treat you!"

" No! They're here." I shook in fear of THEM. " No! I'm not a murderer! I had to kill you! You aren't real!"

" What's wrong!" Sasuke looked on as I fell to her knees holding my head and yelling.

" I KILLED YOU! I KNOW I DID! STOP HAUNTING ME! LEAVE ME ALONE!" I swatted at imaginary hands. " **LEAVE ME ALONE!**"

This time the earthquake made the last one seem small and gentle. " I have to kill everyone." I laughed. " This time…Naruto has to die also!"

* * *

Yang-chan: Forgive the late update! I'm so busy with work and stuff!

Ferret-san: Stop making excuses!

Yang-chan: But it's all true! Anyway, you better figure out who the killer/stalker is now. Thank you! Please continue to review!


	15. Sunny Place

_**Mine Alone**_

_A Yang Production_

_**H**ave I gone past the point of no return? I think I am way past that point. I'm sure that everyone would agree, even Father…if he was still alive that is. Though many have now come to believe that Orochimaru was my first victim that is not true. By my hand I killed father…and yet I didn't regret it. By my hand…I killed off the Main Branch, my family. And yet I did not regret it. Everyone thought Hinata weak, but Hinata is not weak. Is killing one's family without a shred of guilt weakness? Neji-nii…is wanting to kill you weakness? Surely you knew that something was wrong when my father did not respond to your letters, when he did not come to those meetings? I had to make them all my puppets. To control them all, make them go about so no one would know, masking my great chakra…is that truly weakness? I don't think so. Everyone must find my actions mad, but who are they to decide?_

**S**asuke jumped out of the way as the ground beneath him split in two. Hinata was muttering rapidly to herself, her eyes looking back and forth between Sasuke and Konaha which lay in ruins.

"Hinata, please stop this!" He cried out as the ground became uneven and he was thrown about.

" I'm sorry Father!" She jerked her hands up to shield herself, breaking contact with the ground. The earthquake stopped as she huddled over, her hands over her head. " I'm sorry! Don't hit me! I'm not weak! I'm not!"

Sasuke grabbed the edge of a tall column of earth, below him was a bottomless pit. He felt that for now he was safe and so was Konoha. "Hinata…just give yourself in."

Reality blurred with Hinata's world. Swiftly her dead father landed in front of her, his decaying body inching closer. " Give up…you're too weak."

" Shut up!"

" Give up…weak." He seemed to hiss at her.

" I said to shut up! I don't want to hurt you!"

" Weak…"

"SHUT UP! SHUT UP SHUT UP SHUT UP!" She plunged her hands into the soft earth as if it was water and lift a large chuck up. " Don't call me weak!"

Maybe Sasuke should have made sure that Hinata would have stayed down and not lifted a boulder sized piece of earth above her head. " I'M NOT WEAK! I killed you once Father! I can kill you again!" She threw the boulderish earth at Sasuke whom she saw as her father. "Hee…Who's weak now Father! Look, I can still see your blood on the walls!"

**N**eji felt something tugging at the seal around his mouth, Hinata's chakra must be running low. Seizing his chance he was able to peel it off, then it wrapped itself around his right hand. His right shoulder lost all senses, and it became limp, he would not be able to fight in this condition, not like he could before. During the earthquakes, he had sustained an injury to his left arm, making it almost useless, he narrowly missed being struck by shurikens and kunais meaning he had lost a great deal of blood and much of his exposed skin had be burned badly. To say the least should he come face to face with Hinata or any of her clones he was dead. What happened to his cousin? Every time he saw her she would run to tell him about Naruto's latest pranks or something else about naruto, he never really paid attention.

"_Neji-nii!"_

" _What is it Hinata-sama?"_

" _Stop with Sama! Just call me Hinata-chan. But Neji-nii, today Naruto told Sakura-san that he liked her and she turned him down!"_

" _She always turns him down!"_

" _But Neji-nii, I would never turn him down…Naruto is just so nice." Neji could only roll his eyes as his cousin let out a dreamy sigh. " He's handsome too!"_

" _So is Uchiha Sasuke according to almost all the girls here."_

" _But I really like Naruto…I think I really truly love him."_

_He couldn't help but snort at the comment._

" _Just wait and see Neji-nii…someday I'll show the whole village my love for Naruto!"_

"Show her love?" Neji leaned against a rock. " There's a thin line between love and obsession, Hinata-chan."

_Hinata came in with a bruise on her face that she tried to hide from Neji._

" _Hinata-sama…"_

"_Chan!"_

" _Did your father punish you again?"_

Why as he, slid to the ground to die, did he start remember all of this?

" _No, I deserve it for being so weak…I failed his test."_

" _I just ran into a wall."_

" _The lesson was harder than I thought…"_

" _I had my guard down that's all."_

_She would always try to deny everything Neji said. It was her fault, her father would never hit her without cause. Then suddenly she stopped coming to him. Hinata's father would stop coming to visit Neji, he wouldn't write back and he wouldn't show up for the meetings between the houses. In fact the Main house had stopped all forms of communication all together._

" _Father is ill, Neji-nii. Why don't you come back sometime later?" Hinata had told him when he stopped by worried. She had seemed more pale and tired. " I will send word when he is better."_

_He did get better after a week but always he had Hinata at his side, serving him tea, waiting on him hand and foot. _

"_I'm sorry that my illness had cause concern in the Branch House. Thank you Hinata." He took the tea that his daughter had given him. " I am still weak after all the rest I've had."_

" _You do seem pale Uncle."_

" _Father is just working when he should be resting." Hinata smiled at her father. Then she turned to smile at her cousin._

" Why…when did you change Hinata…my dear cousin. I don't even know you anymore." He grabbed hold of a branch and hoisted himself up to his feet. He had to find Hinata and stop her even if he had to take her down with him.

**T**he room Hinata stood in was dark, the doors were locked. In front of her stood her father, laying down in a pool of his own blood. There were streaks of blood everywhere, bloody handprints of the wall. In her hand she held the sword, an heirloom passed down to the eldest child of the Main House. The lesson had taken a turn for the worst as he continued to talk down at her, saying she would never live up to anything, that Naruto was taking up too much of her time, he would have to go. All the years of being put down, all the pain, all the hatred, all the rage that Hinata had spent burying came pouring out as he called Naruto a waste of life.

" I told you I could kill…" The room shifted and she found herself standing in a complete waste land. No living thing could live here. Konoha was leveled by what looked to be an earthquake. Lava flowed freely like new born rivers, there were levels of ground stacked on top of each other. Some one lay buried under a pile of crumbled earth.

" Sasuke-san…you don't love him enough to kill your own flesh and blo- _Cough Cough._" Her chest felt like it was on fire as she struggled to breathe. She could taste blood every time she coughed. Ever since she had become stronger she became physically weaker, her immune system could not keep up with her rapid growth. It was a small cost in order to protect her beloved.

" Am I being punished for doing nothing wrong?" She yelled. " I've done nothing but protect what I held dear."

"HINATA-CHAN!"

Hinata knew that voice. She whirled around to see her injured cousin. Tsunade had done her best to heal the bleeding before he took off. The Hokage stood behind Neji, supporting him with about a hundred of the least injured shinobi she could find. Naruto was no where in sight.

" Come out to die then Hokage-sama?" Hinata wiped the blood from her mouth. " If Sasuke couldn't defeat me then what chance do you think you have?" The usual glare returned to the Hokage's face. " Well then, let's get this party started then…" Hinata popped a soldier pill along with a strong pain killer. Taking her thumb she bit it to draw blood and pulled out a black scroll. She drew a long line of blood over the text and snapped it shut as she made the sign for Dragon and Snake. A large scaled snake burst from the ground.

" Remember Hokage-sama? In your little battle with Orochimaru?"

Before the giant snake could strike a large steel fan ripped through it's body and it disappeared in a large black puff of smoke.

" Don't forget that Konoha has the Sand Siblings." Kankuro smirked as Temari caught her fan.

" Damn…" Hinata hissed. Gaara did not look happy…thought you could never really tell if her ever was happy. His sand shot forward twisting and spinning rapidly. Hinata took a deep breathe and made the sign for dragon and drew the character for fire. A large dragon fire appeared and raced head on the sand of Gaara. From the side it seemed that Gaara was losing and Hinata looked smug at the thought.

Pain erupted throughout her body a single spear of sand was able to get past the fire. Hinata found herself reeling backwards, her world swirling around her, her mind torn between what she wanted and what she felt. The smell of wet grass filled her lungs as she landed face down. What she wanted was the complete destruction of Konoha…what she felt was only pain.

"Heh..heeh." It started small. A small giggle…then laughter as Hinata rolled herself over. She could still see the spear of sand sticking up from her left shoulder and her blood mixing and rising into the sand. She gripped the grass as she muttered a few words in between her fits of laughter.

" Earth Clones Rise."

Laying on the ground she could not see the faces of utter shock on the people surrounding her. They all seemed to step back, and their silence made Hinata feel uneasy. Her clones encircled their injured master and only then did she see why everyone was so silent. Every member of the Main House , all victims in the state she had delivered them, and her dead father were crawling from underneath where she lay.

"Murderer…" They wailed in unholy voices. " Worthy of hell alone…" Their bodies twisted and mended as they pulled themselves up. Hinata could barely muster everything to move. "Murderer…"

"Shadow Shuriken!" A hundred copies of the Large Shuriken flew past Hinata and started mowing down the clones. Sasuke wrapped one arm around Hinata's waist and grabbed her right arm. " Can't you stop them!" But Hinata couldn't respond even as she was pulled to safety.

" Thank you Sasuke-san…" She whispered as she pulled out the family heirloom, " for coming to me!"

" Not really Hinata-chan…" The image dissolved as Neji placed a flat palm on Hinata's stomach. She was thrown back, her chakra sealed.

" Neji…!" She gripped the sword tightly as rage fueled her movement. Blinded by the instense hatred she didn't see the onslaught of Kunais.

"Forgive me Hinata-chan…" Everything slowed down as Hinata brought down the sword.

"**NOO!" **Naruto bolted upright in his bed. He scanned the room and realized that he was in his apartment. Tsunade was asleep at the foot of his bed.

" Baa-san! Baa-san!" He crawled over to her and poked her awake. " I just had the worst nightmare…"

" Naruto…" She yawned not looking at him in hopes of getting more sleep.

" My nightmare…Hinata! She went mad and started killing people, she even destroyed our village! Then …Sasuke…Me!" He waved his arms wildly at a loss for words.

Tsunade finally lifted her head and raised a hand to the bandage that was wrapped around her head. Someone knocked at the door and entered.

" Is he awake yet?" Sasuke walked in with an arm in a cast. He leaned on a crutch as he entered and closed the door behind.

Naruto paled as he ripped open the window curtains. Outside there were only a sea of ruble. Looking closer Naruto's apartment was on the ground and was the only room intact of his whole building.

" Then my nightmare…Where's Hinata!"

Tsunade exchanged a look with Sasuke. He shook his head to the disappointment of the Hokage.

" Get dressed and we'll take you to her."

Naruto got dressed and took a deep breath as he was lead out of his room. He didn't know what he would exactly find but he somehow knew that he wouldn't like it.

* * *

Yang-chan: I'm sorry if some people don't find this to be much like my other chapters. I didn't get an hour of sleep last night. I'm tired. Not to mention I'm a little sick….sorry that it took so long to update….(yawn) Tired. Anyway, I wanna tell everyone that I have two other stories that I am writing about Naruto. Legacy Of A Fox: Seven Years and If There Is a God…Which is gonna be renamed Cursed Wish. I hope that you will at least read the first chapter of each and leave some comment behind. Thank you and have fun….(yawn)

Ferret-san: Legacy Of A Fox: Seven Years is an adventure where Naruto leaves and doesn't come back as planned. Sasuke and Sakura start hunting Naruto down….yeah…and (If There Is A God) Cursed Wish is a love triangle between Sasuke, Naruto, and Sakura where an over worked, under paid God has to watch over them while know what fate awaits them. So please read if you want to.


	16. Spiral

_**Mine Alone**_

_A Yang Production_

"**_Hey Naruto?" I asked to no one. " How can you take all that by your lonesome? Doesn't it drive you crazy? I wouldn't be able to take it all." There was no reply and I think that in those moments I knew I would never have one. Whenever I saw Naruto after thinking this, I could see a shadow lingering behind him and it looked so familiar that it chilled me to the bone… _**

"**B**e careful, there are lots of sink holes around here." Tsunade said over her shoulder to Sasuke who was helping Naruto get unstuck. " The one place that was left intact was your apartment, so when the battle got too much you were moved Naruto."

He didn't say anything. There were people trying to get into their destroyed homes, but they didn't even look at him when he passed by, they were engulfed by their loss. He could see medical nins attending to the wounded and taking down information for the extremely critical patients. ANBU and other Shinobis were busy gather all missing persons documents as to begin the search in hospitals…and the morgue.

" You should have let me go…" Naruto released Sasuke's hand but Sasuke pulled him close.

" Don't blame yourself." He whispered before leading him towards the Hokage who stood impatiently.

_**I kept recalling that shadow every time I killed and I always saw it hovering over them. It kept growing bigger around Naruto…and I grew scared…**_

**N**eji heard footsteps grow nearer. He didn't care anymore. Anyone could just kill him now. He was already dead inside.

_Every Shuriken and Kunai landed on their target. He watched in slow motion as his cousin fell to the ground, her eyes fixed on him. The replica of the Hyuuga heirloom dropped from his hand, where he had summoned it to do battle with his cousin. _

"_HINATA-SAMA!" He rushed to her fallen body. ANBU were about to step forward when the Hokage stopped them. Neji turned over Hinata and held her head in his lap. _

" _Get away from me." She managed to choke out. " I don't need you. I need Naruto. "_

" _Hinata-sama…" _

" _But he isn't here is he Neji…san?"_

" _Nii, Hinata-sama."_

" _It's just Hinata, Neji-nii." With much effort she was able to touch his face. She was cold. " Just Hinata." He nodded. " I ask a favor of you dear Neji-nii…" Her voice was low and he leaned down to listen. Now he wished he never had._

"**A**re you doing better?" It was the Hokage's voice.

" How can you ask me that Hokage-sama?" He shook as he spoke. " How can I be better!"

" You did what she wanted you to do." Sasuke added.

" No…I didn't want to do it. I thought I could do it, but I was just as human as any other person. I rather have gone instead of her. I was full of rage at first but seeing her, I could still remember Hinata before her horrible change. "

Seeing Naruto's bewildered look, the Hokage began to explain. " Hinata, it seems, began to develop a deadly Jutsu. We aren't sure if it was for the village or for any other purpose, but she used it on herself. The Jutsu requires a second party to act as a medium for it to work successfully."

"Wh.." Naruto was afraid to ask. "What was it?"

The Hokage and Sasuke looked at each other, debating whether to tell him or not.

" It was a killing Jutsu…" Neji answered. "And I was the medium."

"_Neji…do you still hate me? Then do this, write the character for death on my face. Then watch as you kill me."_

_This was the moment that he had planned for. He had lead the Hokage and everyone else here, he had planned to kill her with a weapon that was of her family blood, he was suppose to kill her. But his thoughts told him that even if they hadn't attacked her, he wouldn't have killed her. She was still his cousin and he had grown to love her. _

" _Neji, I can read them, you don't want to." She jerked her fingers and Neji couldn't feel his hand. " Help me, then." His hand had her blood dripping, and clumsily she had him write the character for death, SHI…END OF LIFE. Once he finished, she smiled at him. _

" _Good-bye." _

_He and everyone else was thrown back by a surge of raw power. Her body tensed up and a thin wave of unknown chakra wrapped around her. _

" They just climbed out of the ground and leapt on her." Neji recalled. " They wouldn't stop. We tried to stop them, the Hokage sent the ANBU out but they couldn't reach her, We tried, but we were driven back…."

_An inhuman cry rang out as THEY appeared. Not just clones, but the true body. Hinata's victims in all their gruesome glory. Every scar, every wound, everything left intact. Those present could see the flesh of the first few victims threatening to fall, all ready starting to decompose. The recent ones appeared to not have died. At first they looked confused, having died but abruptly thrown back into their bodies. Then they spotted Hinata._

_They were blurs as they started to attack and maul. _

" _Stop them! STOP THEM!" Tsunade yelled. ANBU ran forward but they were stopped by Itachi and Sakura. _

" _We need to kill her." Itachi said, his face was half covered in muscle and less in skin. " It is our duty." He seemed to stare at them through his empty sockets._

" _We rather have remained dead…" Sakura looked up, her face distorted by the cruel experiment done on her. "…but she brought us back to kill her." _

_They stood side by side and placing one hand behind the other, palm out, they were able to send the whole fleet of ANBU back. They yelled in pain as scars appeared and skin fell off. _

" _Stop this!" Tsunade yelled, never having seen such a Jutsu. " You can go back, but leave her alone!"_

" _But isn't this what you wanted…?" Something rolled to her feet. Orochimaru looked up. " You would kill her too." His body was still helping the others rip Hinata apart. He opened his mouth and out slithered snakes and they snapped at anyone who tried to cross their path. _

_Like a ghostly chorus, they all yelled, " WE ARE BOUND BY BLOOD TO KILL HER! TO KILL AND DESTROY HER AND DRAG HER SOUL TO HELL!" _

"_Leave my cousin alone!" Neji got up only to be blocked by his dead cell mates._

" _Neji-kun…" Tenten smiled. " Stop, we don't want to hurt you." _

" _You had been a good companion." Lee added. " So stay were you are."_

" _Get out of the way." He tried to push past them, but they grabbed both his arms and kicked him in the stomach with their knees. There wasn't anytime to try and catch his breath as they kicked him under the chin, the sky and earth seemed to blend as they jumped after him and slammed their heels into his body. _

" _We didn't want to hurt you." _

_Tsunade had managed to dodge the snakes and got past Itachi and Sakura but she didn't see Ino behind her. _

" _You're not going anywhere!" Ino held out her hand and vines shot out towards the unsuspecting Hokage. Tsunade was able to land on her hands and pull Ino along with the vines. Her fist was able to go through Ino's stomach._

" _One down." Tsunade said simply yet sadly as Ino slumped forward. _

" _Do you really want to believe that?" Ino snapped as she pushed off the Hokage. Roots could be seen in the gapping hole that the Hokage had left, and they intertwined with each other to close the hole. " You won't stop us. After we have finished with her we are ordered to destroy Konoha completely…but all we really want is to go back."_

_Sand flew in every direction as Gaara joined in. Temari, faced Shikamaru as he and the others finished with Hinata. Her headprotector lay on the ground with two black books and a small object stained red. Kankuro was enjoying himself as he puppets fought Shino and his colony of bugs. _

" _Only one person can stop us and that is Neji. He needs to die also."_

**A **single wooden cross marked a grave but there was no body inside.

" These," The Hokage pointed to the headband that had a slash through the leaf symbol while Neji held two black books in his hands, " are the only thing that were left of Hinata."

" Her clothes, her body, it was all gone when they finished." Sasuke helped support Naruto as he seemed to lose strength.

_**I was scared. No one could know I was scared. I had to kill. To protect Naruto. That was my only thought, to protect Naruto. I HAD TO PROTECT HIM. He needed me and I needed him…**_

" She wrote down everything in this." Neji flipped through one of the black books, her words coming to life in his mind. He could recall everything she had written by heart. " This was her journal."

" But we aren't sure what that second book is. It won't open, no matter the Jutsu…and Neji couldn't see anything."

_It wasn't that I didn't see anything…I just can't tell you. _Neji vowed to keep her final thought hidden. He had given that book to her, a gift he made so that any secret of hers would stay hidden from any but the maker and the writer.

_**What I realized was that I saw a little of myself when others put down Naruto. I was trying to save both of us. But who really needed to be saved? **_

" Hinata…" He whispered looking at the leather bound book.

_Hinata was sitting on the steps that lead out to the main yard. Neji had been looking for her all morning only to find her in the first place he had looked._

" _Hinata-sama!" He called out._

" _Neji-nii! I told you, HINATA."_

_He smiled as Hinata tried to look mad but failed. " Here." He held out a small black book. " It took longer to make this, but it's a gift."_

" _Really? What for?" Hinata reached out, her arm bandaged from the wrist up._

" _For what ever you want, you can write any thing in this and only you and…well you can read it. No one else." He didn't want her to know he could see to._

" _Thanks. This is so nice Neji-nii." Hinata was overjoyed to receive such a gift from her cousin who until not too long ago hated her. _

" _Oh, this is your birthday gift." He held out a small pin that held a dried violet in a clear stone. _

" _It's so pretty!" She held it to her chest. " I'll take good care of it!"_

"_Hinata!" Her father stepped out. " It's time to go train. Hello Neji, are you well?"_

" _Yes Uncle."_

" _Good. Has your wound healed yet daughter?"_

" _It is much better."_

_They both continued to talk as they left Neji in the courtyard, Hinata slipped the gifts into her jacket pocket and winked _

_**Was I mistaken to have killed all those people? I don't think so. I had to stop them from harming Naruto, even if it cost my sanity. Even if that shadow was me. Even if…I was just protecting myself.**_

Naruto walked towards her grave and just stood there. It was the end of a long and tiring nightmare. Konoha would be rebuilt, people would go on living, and no one else had to die because of ….them.

" There is a thin line between love and hate and it's called forgiveness. I don't hate you Hinata, but I can't love you. I do, however, accept to forgive you, because that is what you need right now."

Neji reached into his leg holster and fingered the tiny pin he had given Hinata. A gift is meant to be with the owner, always. He crouched down and placed the small gift at the base of the cross.

_Hinata smiled at everyone as they all gather for dinner. Neji and a few other from the branch house had arrived. It was then that he saw that she had the pin on, and she looked wonderful. She never took that pin off after that._

Maybe later today, he would write down the last words that Hinata, the real Hinata, had said to him.

_**I still love you Neji-nii.**_

With mixed feelings, they all left to help with the construction of Konoha. The next few weeks would be spent trying to rebuild everything that was destroyed. Neji would have to take over the Hyuuga estate, Tsunade would spend time trying to train the ANBU and try to figure out a way to prevent everything (that and she would owe a big favor to the sand siblings for helping through everything.) Sasuke would finally be at Naruto's side and Naruto would have someone who loves him.

Neji looked back once more and he thought he could have seen his cousin, sitting near her grave, wearing his pin and singing.

" _You know Neji-nii…sometimes you can die and yet still live. When I sing, I die. When I am with father, I die a little."_

_He remembered what she had said. But how would that help him?_

"_Hey Neji-nii, when you attack, it reminds me of dancing. Especially when we both attack together."_

_She was at his side even now, as he got into his usual stance for the gentle fist. " If you want me to die, then I will, beyond what I already am." _

_He did die a little, on the inside as he 'danced' for Hinata. No, with Hinata._

The grave was left alone. Leaves fluttered in the wind as the four walked away, talking about the future. A single leaf landed on top of the pin, and it lay there quivering before taking flight in the next breeze. Now there was only a cross, an empty grave, and an old headprotector of a betrayer. Hyuuga Hinata was now left behind in the past, a forbidden topic.

**_A Year Later…_**

" Look at that sunset!" Naruto leaned over the rail to get a better look.

" You're gonna fall if you lean any more." Sasuke held onto Naruto's shirt.

" You two seem to be enjoying yourselves." Someone remarked.

" Oy, it's Neji!" Naruto turned around to see the Head of the Hyuuga, Neji, walking towards them on the platform above the Hokage's office. " Did you talk with the Hokage?"

" Yes and I agree with Sasuke. You could have fallen off." He brushed past the two and rested on the railing. " It's been a whole year."

" …Has it?" Naruto acted innocent.

" But you can still feel her affect on the village. It's going to take a while…but I'm sure one day we can all stop feeling her. Do you believe that I think she's still lingering around here, close to you two?"

" Hey, Naruto!" A guard waved to them as they ran over. " The Hokage needs to talk to you about rooming. She still doesn't want you to leave her all alone in her home."

" We have to go, but we'll met up later okay Neji!" Naruto shouted over his shoulder as he dragged Sasuke along with Neji just a little behind.

" See you later then." Neji walked off.

Sasuke looked on as Neji disappeared behind a corner.

_Hinata…it's over._

_Everything you did, it didn't help._

_After all Naruto's mine…_

_And Mine Alone._

" Hey Baa-san! What do you want!"

" Naruto! You're suppose to knock and address me as Hokage!"

Sasuke looked on as the two bickered with a content smile.

_And I plan to keep it that way.

* * *

_

Ferret-san: As much as Yang-chan wanted to be here to celebrate this last chapter, she is still recovering from the beating from her other story. But, she sent us a lovely statue made of some plaster.

(Statue is really Yang-chan in a full body cast)

Ferret-san: I hope you have had some fun reading this story, Yang-chan enjoyed writing this for you all. Now she did ask me to ask you the Million dollar question:

Is there any chance you would want a sequel?

Not that she has one in mind, but there have been those stories that are meant to be over, but there was a demand for another. She was just wondering. Leave your final review and thanks for reading **_MINE ALONE_**


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